COVID-19 Infection Increases Mortality and Complications in Patients With Neck of Femur Fracture

Hip fractures commonly occur in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) when healing from hip fractures places the patients at a higher risk of respiratory compromise and death. This study aimed to compare the 30- and 90-day mortality rates of patients with hip fracture with and without COVID-19. The secondary aim was to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the parameters of morbidity such as health complications and length of hospital stay. All patients with hip fractures who presented to our hospital between March and December 2020 were classified into one of two subgroups: those with a clinical and/or laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 and those without. Patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Nottingham Hip Fracture Score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, complications, length of stay, and 30- and 90-day mortality rates were measured in patients with hip fractures with and without a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19. We found that COVID-19 infection independently increased the 30- and 90-day mortality rates, respiratory complications, and length of hospital stay in patients with hip fractures. This is the first study to report the 90-day mortality of COVID-19 infection in such patients.