Hip Fracture Readmission May Be Caused by Nutritional Biomarkers

Individuals who are readmitted to the hospital following an osteoporotic hip fracture tend to have more comorbidities, lower levels of albumin and prealbumin, and specific nutritional laboratory markers, according to a recent study.

Osteoporotic hip fractures are increasingly common in the growing elderly population, and rates of morbidity and mortality following osteoporotic hip fractures remain high, despite medical and surgical advances. Furthermore, readmission following hip fracture treatment contributes to increased costs and medical burdens.
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For their study, the researchers assessed 607 patients with hip fractures at a single center from January 1, 2013, and April 30, 2015.

Candidate variables for the study included standard demographics, common laboratory values, and markers of comorbidities and nutrition status. Multivariate logistic regression was used to create a 30-day, all-cause readmission model.

Results indicated that 67 of 607 patients had been readmitted within 30 days. According to univariate analysis, patients who were readmitted had more comorbidities and lower albumin and prealbumin levels, compared with those who were not readmitted. The researchers noted that the final, reduced model contained 12 variables, incorporating 4 of 5 nutritional markers with an internally, cross-validated C-statistic of 0.811.

“Our results indicate that specific nutritional laboratory markers at the index admission may identify patients that have a greater risk of re-admission after hip fracture,” the researchers concluded. “This model identifies potentially modifiable risk factors and may allow orthogeriatricians to better educate patients and better treat post-operative nutritional status and care.”

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Stone AV, Jinnah A, Wells BJ, et al. Nutritional markers may identify patients with greater risk of re-admission after geriatric hip fractures [Published online October 7, 2017]. Int Orthop. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3663-3.