The economic impact of medical complications in geriatric patients with hip fracture.
The records of 510 elderly patients with hip fractures admitted to our institution between January 1995 and December 2000 were retrospectively reviewed to determine the incidence and type of developed medical complications and their economic implications. Of those 510 patients, 217 (43%) developed at least 1 medical complication, most frequently electrolyte imbalance (11%), urinary tract infection (10%), respiratory failure (10%), and delirium (9%). Patients who developed medical complications had significantly longer mean hospital stays (10 days) and higher mean hospital costs ($16,203) than patients without such complications (5 days and $10,284, respectively) (P<.001).
Khasraghi
Fardin A
FA
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224-2780, USA.
Lee
Eu Jin
EJ
Christmas
Colleen
C
Wenz
James F
JF
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000209:etiology