[Quality of life in patients with surgical treatment of hip fractures, preliminary study].
BACKGROUND
Fractures of the proximal segment of the femur occurring most commonly in elderly patients are a serious, both medical (orthopaedic) and socioeconomic, problem.


METHODS
46 patients (14 male and 32 female) operated for hip fracture in the January-June 2008 period, who were available for analysis (as 24 patients were not) were investigated. In addition to descriptive analysis, general health status-quality of life was assessed by means of SF-36 questionnaire comprising eight groups of questions determining the physical, psychological and social status of the patients within the 0 to 100 (problem) points range.


RESULTS
The findings were that the average patient age was 74 years (76.9 for male patients and 74.06 fro female ones). The values of all eight parameters were lower by up to 89% in comparison to the pre-injury values, but improved by as much as 50% after six months (for physical functioning and the role of physical functioning) or by 30% for the role of emotions. The values never return to their pre-injury levels. In foreign studies, the parameters are higher, especially post-treatment values for vitality and role of emotions.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients treated for hip fractures, it is necessary to carry out an assessment of general, physical, mental and social functioning of the patient in addition to the assessment of their clinical and radiological findings, so as to get a more realistic insight in the status of the treated and operated patients. The SF-36 questionnaire is widely used in such investigations along with other questionnaires. It is also necessary to investigate the general health status-quality of life of the entire healthy population in our country.
Lesić
A
A
Institut za ortopedsku hirurgiju i traumatologiju, KSC, Beograd.
Kocev
N
N
Milosević
I
I
Bumbasirević
M
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life