title: Haemoglobin predicts length of hospital stay after hip fracture surgery in older patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treating anaemia in older patients who have undergone hip fracture surgery is to enhance functional recovery. The relationship between peri-operative haemoglobin levels and outcome after hip fracture surgery are controversial. We assessed whether higher haemoglobin levels predict length of hospital stay after hip fracture surgery in elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A follow-up study in a historical cohort was performed in 317 patients aged 65 years old undergoing hip fracture surgery over the period 2004-2006 at the Leiden University Medical Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between pre- and post-operative haemoglobin level and length of hospital stay after controlling for age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anaemia after hip fracture surgery was present among 86% of the patients. Length of hospital stay after hip fracture surgery in elderly subjects with post-operative anaemia (10.7 days) was significantly longer than in elderly subjects without post-operative anaemia (7.5 days, p=0.007). Post-operative haemoglobin levels and length of hospital stay were inversely related (p=0.013). The length of hospital stay was not related with pre-operative haemoglobin level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher postoperative haemoglobin levels predict shorter length of hospital stay after hip fracture surgery in the elderly. A definitive randomized clinical trial has to demonstrate whether this association is causal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands. j.m.willems@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Jorien M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: Anton J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Craen
authors.forename: Rob G H H
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Nelissen
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Luijt
authors.forename: Rudi G J
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Westendorp
authors.forename: Gerard J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Blauw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins