Prediction of Mortality in Hip Fractured Elderly Patients: Role of Routine Blood Tests

Introduction: To assess the mortality predictive value of routine blood tests in patients with hip fracture.Material and Methods: In a retrospective descriptive study, medical records of ۲۰۴ hip fractured patients with the age of ۶۰ or older who were admitted to the Department of Orthopedics was considered regarding routine laboratory tests. Predictive values of these tests were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).Results: The incidence of death due to hip fracture was ۲۴%. The mortality rate was significantly increased with age > ۶۵ (OR= ۱۵). There was no significant difference between mortality in regards to gender. High plasma BUN (more than ۲۰ mg/dl) and creatinine (more than ۱.۳ mg/dl) significantly increased the chance of mortality. [OR= ۳.۰ and OR=۲.۵ for BUN and creatinine, respectively]. Patients' mortality did not show any correlation with sodium and potassium plasma levels and blood hemoglobin.Conclusion: There is direct correlation between plasma levels of BUN and creatinine and ۳-month mortality after hip fractures. Patients with high plasma levels of BUN were three times more likely to die than those with normal BUN. Also, patients with high plasma creatinine levels were ۲.۵ times more likely to die than those who had normal values. Mortality was also associated with increasing age but did not vary with gender. Patients aging more than ۶۵ were ۱۵ times more likely to die following a hip fracture than those with younger age

Keywords:

BUN , Creatinine , Hematologic tests , Hip fracture , Prognosis , Serologic tests.