Combining diagnostic memory clinic with rehabilitation follow-up after hip fracture

Associated factors of stress, urgency, and mixed urinary incontinence in a geriatric outpatient assessment of older women with hip fracture

PURPOSE

Urinary incontinence (UI) is known to be common among older female hip fracture patients. Little is known about different subtypes of UI among these patients. Our aim was to identify factors associated with subtypes of UI in a cross-sectional design.

METHODS

1,675 female patients aged ≥ 65 and treated for their first hip fracture in Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Finland, during 2007-2019, were included in a prospective cohort study. Of these, 1,106 underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), including questions on continence, at our geriatric outpatient clinic 6 month post-fracture. A multivariable-adjusted multinomial logistic regression model was used to examine factors associated with UI subtypes.

RESULTS

Of the 779 patients included, 360 (46%) were continent and 419 (54%) had UI 6-month post-fracture. Of the women with UI, 117 (28%) had stress UI, 183 (44%) had urgency UI and 119 (28%) had mixed UI, respectively. Mean age of the patients was 82 ± 6,91. In multivariable analysis, depressive mood and poor mobility and functional ability were independently associated with stress UI. Fecal incontinence (FI) and Body Mass Index (BMI) over 28 were independently associated with urgency UI. Mixed UI shared the aforementioned factors with stress and urgency UI and was independently associated with constipation.

CONCLUSIONS

Mixed UI was associated with most factors, of which depressive mood and impaired mobility and poor functional ability were shared with stress UI, and FI and higher BMI with urgency UI. CGA is key in assessing UI in older hip fracture patients, regardless of subtype.

Do urinary and double incontinence predict changes in living arrangements and mobility in older women after hip fracture? - a 1-year prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Continence problems are known to be associated with disability in older adults. Costs of disability and resulting need for more supported living arrangements are high after a hip fracture. The aim was to examine pre-fracture urinary incontinence (UI) and double incontinence (DI, concurrent UI and fecal incontinence) as predictors of changes in mobility and living arrangements in older female hip fracture patients in a 1-year follow-up.

METHODS

Study population comprised 1,675 female patients aged ≥ 65 (mean age 82.7 ± 6.8) sustaining their first hip fracture between 2007-2019. Data on self-reported pre-fracture continence status was collected. The outcomes were declined vs. same or improved mobility level and need for more assisted vs same or less assisted living arrangements 1-year post-fracture. Separate cohorts of 1,226 and 1,055 women were generated for the mobility and living arrangements outcomes, respectively. Age- and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine the associations of UI, DI, and other baseline characteristics with the outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the patients, 39% had declined mobility or more assisted living arrangements at 1-year follow-up. Adjusting for age, both pre-fracture UI and DI were associated with changes in mobility and living arrangements. In the multivariable analysis, UI (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.41-2.51) and DI (1.99, 95% CI 1.21-3.27) were associated with decline in mobility level while only DI (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.22-4.75) remained associated with the need for more assisted living arrangements.

CONCLUSIONS

Both pre-fracture UI and DI in older women are risk factors for declining mobility level, but only DI for more supported living arrangements 1-year post-hip fracture. UI likely develops earlier in life and might not necessarily be strongly associated with the onset or increasing disability in later years. DI may indicate more marked vulnerability and burden to patients as well as to formal and informal caregivers.

Trends of fall-related and other fatal injuries in older adults in Finland between 1998 and 2020

BACKGROUND

The number of falls and fall-related injuries will likely increase as the number of older adults expands. Increases in total deaths due to falls have been observed over Europe. Less is known about other injuries leading to death.

To examine the incidence trends of fall-related and other fatal injuries among adults aged 65 or older in Finland.

METHODS

We analyzed open data from Statistics Finland's register on the causes of death of those aged ≥65 collected between 1998 and 2020 yielding a total of 32 150 deaths due to injury using Poisson regression and distributional comparisons chi-squared tests.

RESULTS

The most common injuries leading to death among people aged ≥65 in Finland were fall related. There has been an increase in the absolute number of fall-related and other injuries, but when adjusting for person-years in population, a significant decrease can be observed. The crude rates of deaths from fall-related injuries among males annually increased 1.1-4.4% from 1998 to 2020, while the changes in rates among females ranged between -2% and 1.6%. The crude rates of other injuries ranged between -0.5% to +3.8%. Recently (2018-20), nearly 40% of the cases in males and 25% of cases in females were not fall related but comprised other types of injury mechanisms such as traffic, poisoning and drowning.

CONCLUSION

Strengthening the implementation of preventive strategies is essential to prevent injuries. To reduce injury-related mortality and disability, improvement of acute and post-acute care for injured older patients is warranted.

Urinary and double incontinence in older women with hip fracture - risk of death and predictors of incident symptoms among survivors in a 1-year prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association of urinary incontinence (UI) and double incontinence (DI, concurrent UI and fecal incontinence) with one-year mortality among older female hip fracture patients and to identify predictors of incident UI and DI.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study SETTING AND SUBJECTS: 1,468 female patients aged ≥ 65 treated for their first hip fracture during the period 2007-2019 METHODS: Continence status was elicited at baseline and one-year post-fracture. Age- and multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards and multinomial logistic regression models were used to determine the associations of incontinence with one-year mortality and to examine the associations of baseline predictors with incident UI and DI respectively.

RESULTS

Of the women with no incontinence, UI and DI, 78 (13%), 159 (23%) and 60 (34%), died during follow-up. UI (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.31-2.26) and DI (HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.86-3.66) were associated with mortality after adjusting for age. These associations lost their predictive power in multivariable analysis while age over 90, living in an institution, impaired mobility, poor nutrition, polypharmacy, and late removal of urinary catheter remained associated with mortality. Of continent women, 128 (21%) developed UI and 23 (4%) DI during follow-up. In multivariable analysis, impaired mobility was associated with incident UI (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.48-4.44) and DI (OR 4.82, 95% CI 1.70-13.7), as well as living in an institution (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.56-7.61 and OR 3.90, 95% CI 1.17-13.0).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Underlying vulnerability likely explains differences in mortality between continence groups and development of incident UI and DI.

Geriatric rehabilitation care after hip fracture

PURPOSE

After acute hospital admission, patients with a hip fracture are frequently discharged to skilled nursing homes providing geriatric rehabilitation (GR). There are few evidence-based studies regarding specific treatment times and assessments during GR. This study aims to provide a description of care for hip fracture patients during GR in the Netherlands.

METHODS

Descriptive study analyzing the care pathways from GR facilities, regarding healthcare professionals involved, allocated treatment time per profession, total length of rehabilitation stay, and assessment instruments. Based on the reimbursement algorithm (diagnostic treatment combination = DBCs), of 25 patients, the registered actual treatment time per profession was calculated.

RESULTS

The care pathways pivoted on three groups of health care professionals: medical team (MT), physiotherapy (PT), and occupational therapy (OT). There was some discrepancy between the allocated time in the care pathways and the calculated mean actual treatment time from the DBCs. First week: MT 120-180 min, DBC 120 (SD: 59) minutes; PT 120-230 min, DBC 129 (SD: 58) minutes; and OT 65-165 min, DBC 93 (SD: 61) minutes. From week two onwards, MT 15-36 min, DBC 49 (SD: 29) minutes; PT 74-179 min, DBC 125 (SD: 50) minutes; and OT 25-60 min, DBC 47 (SD: 44) minutes. Dieticians, psychologists, and social workers were sporadically mentioned. There was heterogeneity in the assessment and screening tools.

CONCLUSIONS

It is difficult to define current standard care in GR after hip fracture in the Netherlands due to the diversity in care pathways and large practice variation. This is a problem in conducting randomized effectiveness research with care provided as control.

TRIAL REGISTER AND DATE OF REGISTRATION

NL7491 04-02-2019.

Factors associated with and 1-year outcomes of fear of falling in a geriatric post-hip fracture assessment

Background

Hip fracture causes not only physical injury but also psychological trauma. Fear of falling (FoF) is related to poor recovery, loss of mobility and mortality. There is limited data on the clinical factors affecting post-hip fracture FoF and its consequences.

Objective

To investigate the factors associated with and 1-year outcomes of post-hip fracture FoF.

Methods

An observational prospective cohort study. Data were collected on hospital admission, at a geriatric outpatient assessment 4–6 months post-hip fracture and by telephone interviews 1 year after the index fracture. FoF was assessed with a dichotomous single-item question. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the age, gender and multivariable-adjusted association between baseline and the geriatric assessment domains with FoF. Follow-up outcomes included changes in mobility, living arrangements and mortality.

Results

Of the 916 patients included, 425 (49%) had FoF at the time of their geriatric assessment. These patients were predominantly female and were living alone in their own homes with supportive home care. They scored lower on tests of physical performance. Less FoF was documented in patients with diagnosed cognitive disorders before the index fracture and in those with Clinical Dementia Rating ≥ 1. After adjusting for age and gender, no association was observed between FoF and any of the 1-year follow-up outcomes.

Conclusion

Post-hip fracture FoF is common and associated with female gender, polypharmacy, poor daily functioning, poor physical performance and depressive mood. Patients with cognitive disorders have less FoF than those without. FoF appears to have no impact on the follow-up outcomes.

In-Hospital Delirium as a Prognostic Factor for New Cognitive Disorder in a 1-Year Post-Hip Fracture Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

Older hip fracture patients are at high risk of delirium during acute hospital care. Pre-fracture dementia is known to increase the risk of in-hospital delirium. Data on the development of new cognitive disorders in patients with delirium are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significance of in-hospital delirium on the development of new cognitive disorders in a 1-year follow-up in older hip fracture patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data consisted of 476 hip fracture patients aged 65 years or more with no known cognitive disorder on admission. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Cognitive disorders were diagnosed following the national guidelines. Information on the new diagnoses of cognitive disorders (NDCD) at 1-year follow-up was elicited in a telephone interview and confirmed from the electronic patient files. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of delirium with NDCDs.

RESULTS

Of the 476 patients, 87 (18%) had delirium during hospital stay. Patients with delirium were older, they had poorer nutritional status, lower mobility level, and more supported living arrangements than did patients without delirium. At the 1-year time point, 205 (43%) had NDCDs or were strongly suspected of this. CAM result was statistically significantly associated with development of NDCD in multivariable-adjusted analysis (odds ratio [OR] 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39-3.79). Also, poor nutritional status continued to be associated with NDCDs (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.58; 95% CI: 1.03-2.43).

CONCLUSION

Delirium during hospitalization and poor nutritional status on admission are independent prognostic factors for development of subsequent cognitive disorders in older hip fracture patients.