PROSPECTIVE COMPARISON OF HIP FRACTURE TREATMENT - 856 CASES FOLLOWED FOR 4 MONTHS IN THE NETHERLANDS AND SWEDEN

In a prospective multicenter study 1115 hip fracture patients were registered in Rotterdam (The Netherlands), Sundsvall and Lund (Sweden). The patients had similar background parameters with a mean age of 78 years, about half of them living alone and just above 80 percent coming from independent living. For cervical fracture, hemiarthroplasty was the predominating treatment in Rotterdam (n 169), whereas osteosynthesis was used in Sundsvall (screws n 135) and Lund (hook-pins n 148). The mean (median) hospitalization time was 32 (20) days in Rotterdam, 16 (12 ) days in Sundsvall, and 17 (10) days in Lund. Discharge to independent living varied from 53 percent in Lund to 72 percent in Sundsvall. Functional outcome (walking ability and ADL capacity) was at 4 months similar in all groups, but at 2 weeks was lower in Rotterdam. Mortality at 2 weeks/1 month/4 months was in Rotterdam 4/9/20, in Sundsvall 2/4/13, and in Lund 0/3/10 percent. Trochanteric fractures were treated by screwplate in Rotterdam (n 146) and Lund (n 78), and by Ender nails in Sundsvall (n 117). The mean (median) hospitalization time was in Rotterdam 39 (29) days, in Sundsvall 24 (15) days and in Lund 19 (11) days. Discharge to independent living varied from 41 percent in Lund to 57 percent in Sundsvall. Functional outcome was similar between the groups. Mortality at 2 weeks/1 month/4 months was in Rotterdam 2/6/14, in Sundsvall 6/12/19 and in Lund 12/12/18 percent. Thus, our study has shown that it is possible to perform a prospective multicenter study involving different European countries. The functional outcome after 4 months was very consistent between the centers studied, irrespective of choices made concerning operation method and rehabilitation routines. However, a difference in mortality within these first postoperative months was found, which seems attributable to the operation procedure.