The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Hip Fractures in Advanced Age

Objective: Hip fractures due to domestic low-energy traumas are common problems that can cause significant morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, although the lock-down of older people could decrease contagion,the incidence of domestic traumas did not decrease, and led to development of various comorbidities. In this study, we aimed to compare the epidemiology of hip fractures in 6 months of the pandemic in 2020, with the equivalent 6-month period in the previous year to determine the relationship between lock-down and hip fractures due to domestic falls. Method: In this retrospective study, patients over 65 years old who were hospitalized due to hip fractures between May 1st, 2020 - November 30th, 2020 were compared with the similar cohort hospitalized between May 1st, 2019 - November 30th, 2019. The patients were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores, type of anesthesia, time until surgery, comorbidities, surgical treatment modality, need for postoperative primary care unit, postoperative complications, and mortality. Results: Overall, 210 patients were included in our study. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding demographic characteristics and ASA scores. In the 2020 group, there were eight patients (8.6%) who were Covid-19 PCR- positive. There was no death proven by PCR that was related to COVID-19 disease. Time to surgery, fracture type, anesthesia type did not differ between the two groups. The need for a postoperative primary care unit was higher in the 2020 group. Ninety-day mortality rates were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, despite higher mortality rates described in the literature, there was no Covid -19 associated mortality in our study. Hip fractures in the elderly did not alter with social mobilization; hence they usually occur due to domestic low- energy traumas. Reporting of the information in this patient group by all centers will provide important data in the management of hip fractures in this special process