ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE. The aim of the study was to investigate the patients’ characteristics related to repeated fall risk after a hip fracture.

METHODS. The study was designed as a case-control study and included 404 elderly people (202 patients suffering from hip fracture and on 202 elderly without fracture).

RESULTS. Statistical significant differences reports in Tinetti mobility test categories in cases and controls (p-value<0.05). Patients have an increased fall risk in percentage 67, 8% related to controls (23, 3%).

Variables associated with a high risk of repeated fall (total Tinetti score ≤18 test) in cases and controls are: male gender (OR=5.91; 95%CI:1.06-33.01), none/little income adequacy (OR=32.91 95%CI:3.06-353.67), the difficulty in paying bills/medication OR=0.09; 95%CI:0.01-0.83) and the number (>2) of comorbidities (OR=0.02; 95%CI:0.01-0.26).

Factors related with better mobility and lower risk of falls after fracture in patients are: younger age (OR=28.43;CI:5.45-148.32), absence of dementia (OR=15.60;CI:1.80-135.27), pre-fracture satisfactory gait (OR=0.20;CI:0.07-0.56), balance (OR=9.10;CI:1.89-43.75) and non-use of walking aid (OR=7.42;CI:2.70-20.39), as well as the shorter length of hospitalization (OR=3.01;CI:1.27-7.14).

CONCLUSIONS. The functional prognosis of patients with hip fracture is also determined by demographic, clinical and social factors that already exist before the onset of the fracture. Although only a few of them are potentially modifiable and therefore eligible to be targeted in an intervention strategy, it is important to conduct individual evaluations for hip fracture patients in order to identify those with poor functional prognosis.