Keywords
Abstract
Background: Falls in the elderly represent an important public health problem due to the association with morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To describe the epidemiological profile of elderly people with proximal femur fractures, as well as to associate the waiting time for surgery and clinical outcomes with physical-functional variables. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study of elderly patients with fractures of the proximal femur of traumatic origin. Sociodemographic, trauma and clinical information were obtained via electronic medical records. The physical-functional aspects were assessed using the Barthel Index, Lawton Scale, Medical Research Council and Hand Grip Strength at two different times, admission and hospital discharge. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed, adopting p<0.05. Results: The sample consisted of 64 individuals, 48 (75.0%) of which were female, with a mean age of 77.8 years (±8.73). The median waiting time for surgery was 12 (8-15) days. Patients with greater functional dependence on the Barthel Index at admission (U= 282.000; p<0.05) and at hospital discharge (U= 248.000; p<0.05) waited longer for the surgical procedure. The main outcome was discharge 55 (85.9%), however, patients who evolved to death had worse scores on the Lawton Scale (t(62)= -2.060; p<0.05) and on the Barthel Index (U = 145.500; p<0.05) at admission. Conclusion: The profile of elderly people with proximal femur fractures are women, in the transition to the eighth decade of life, victims of a fall from their own height. Elderly people with greater functional dependence waited longer for surgery and had worse outcomes.