Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Aug 29:15:21514593241280912.
doi: 10.1177/21514593241280912. eCollection 2024.

Risk Factors for Loss to Follow-up of Elderly Patients After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Min Rui  1 , Yujian Hui  1 , Jiannan Mao  1 , Tao Ma  2 , Xin Zheng  3
Affiliations

Risk Factors for Loss to Follow-up of Elderly Patients After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Min Rui et al. Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. .

Abstract

Introduction: Non-attendance with scheduled postoperative follow-up visits remains a common issue in orthopaedic clinical research. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with loss to follow-up among elderly patients with hip-fracture postoperatively.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1-year post-surgery was performed on patients aged over 60 years who underwent hip-fracture surgery from January 2017 to March 2019. Based on their completion of the appointed follow-up schedule, the patients were classified into 2 groups: the Loss to Follow-up (LTFU) Group and the Follow-up (FU) Group. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by Functional Recovery Score (FRS) questionnaires. Telephone interviews were conducted with patients lost to follow-up to determine the reasons for non-attendance. A comparative analysis of baseline characteristics between the 2 groups was implemented, with further exploration of statistical differences through logistic regression.

Results: A total of 992 patients met the inclusion criteria were included in this study, of which 189 patients, accounting for 19.1%, were lost to follow-up 1 year postoperatively. The mean age of the patients in the LTFU Group was 82.0 years, significantly higher than the 76.0 years observed in the FU Group (P < 0.001). The FRS for the LTFU Group was marginally higher than that of the FU group (84.0 vs 81.0), with no significant difference (P = 0.060). Logistic regression analysis identified several significant predictors of noncompliance, including advanced age at surgery, femoral neck fracture, hip arthroplasty, long distance from residence to hospital, and the reliance on urban-rural public transportation for reaching the hospital.

Conclusion: Postoperative follow-up loss was prevalent among elderly patients with hip fractures. Our study indicated a constellation of risk factors contributing to noncompliance, including advanced age, transportation difficulties, long travel distance, femoral neck fracture and hip arthroplasty surgery.

Keywords: arthroplasty; follow-up; geriatric medicine; hip fracture; internal fixation; orthopaedic surgery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Johnell O, Kanis JA. An estimate of the worldwide prevalence and disability associated with osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporos Int. 2006;17(12):1726-1733. - PubMed
    1. Kanis JA, Oden A, Johnell O, De Laet C, Jonsson B, Oglesby AK. The components of excess mortality after hip fracture. Bone. 2003;32(5):468-473. - PubMed
    1. Gundel O, Thygesen LC, Gogenur I, Ekeloef S. Postoperative mortality after a hip fracture over a 15-year period in Denmark: a national register study. Acta Orthop. 2020;91(1):58-62. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Karres J, Zwiers R, Eerenberg JP, Vrouenraets BC, Kerkhoffs GMMJ. Mortality prediction in hip fracture patients: physician assessment versus prognostic models. J Orthop Trauma. 2022;36(11):585-592. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Magaziner J, Fredman L, Hawkes W, et al. Changes in functional status attributable to hip fracture: a comparison of hip fracture patients to community-dwelling aged. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;157(11):1023-1031. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources