Mortality and serum urea and electrolytes on admission for hip fracture patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between pre-operative serum urea and electrolyte concentrations and mortality in patients with hip fractures requiring surgery.


METHODS
A prospective observational study of 2963 consecutive patients admitted to a single trauma unit with a hip fracture, treated operatively.


RESULTS
The 30-day mortality for patients with low and normal urea concentrations was 6.9%. The 30-day mortality for patients with raised urea concentrations was almost double (11.5%). A raised admission serum urea concentration was an independent predictor for mortality at 30 days, 90 days, 1 year and 2 years. Mortality was significantly increased in patients admitted with: raised or low serum sodium, raised serum potassium and raised serum creatinine.


CONCLUSIONS
Mortality is high following hip fracture. Patients admitted with a raised serum urea are at increased risk of death at all time intervals analysed up to and including 2 years. This group of patients may require a separate care pathway that provides more intensive management of fluid and electrolyte balance.
Lewis
J R
JR
University Hospital, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Hassan
S K Z
SK
Wenn
R T
RT
Moran
C G
CG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology*
D004573:Electrolytes; D014508:Urea