R. Lindborg1, A. Jambhekar1, V. Chan1, B. Fahoum1, J. Rucinski1 1New York Methodist Hospital,Brooklyn, NY, USA
Introduction:
Falls are the leading cause of injury, death, and disability in senior citizens. Up to 1% of falls lead to hip fractures which are associated with significant morbidity and decreased functional outcomes. In contrast the population of patients who fall and do not suffer any traumatic injuries has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to determine if falls in elderly patients result in similar hospitalization outcomes.
Methods:
Data was prospectively collected on 153 patients who fell from July 1, 2015 to February 29, 2016. All patients over the age of 65 who were also evaluated by Trauma Surgery were included. Patients were divided into those with hip fractures (n = 123) and those with no injuries (n = 25). Length of stay (LOS), mortality, discharge disposition, and 30 day readmission rate were analyzed using the student’s unpaired T-test and chi square tests.
Results:
LOS was similar between the groups with an average of 5.08 +/- 1.99 days for uninjured patients compared to 6.06 +/- 1.14 days for patients with hip fractures (p = 0.25). The two groups had equal mortality rates (4% vs. 4.1%, p = 1.0). Hip fracture patients were more likely to be discharged to subacute rehabilitation facilities (74.8% vs. 32%, p < 0.0001). Additionally, 30 day readmission rates were significantly lower for patients with hip fractures (0.8% vs. 16%; p<0.0001).
Conclusion:
Falls in the elderly are associated with significant morbidity. In the current study, patients with hip fractures and those with no injuries had similar lengths of stay and mortality rates. Hip fracture patients were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility and less likely to be readmitted within 30 days in part due to established systems of care. All elderly patients who fall require multidisciplinary care to improve outcomes regardless of the injury sustained.