ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to follow for a year all the osteoporotic proximal femoral fractures that happened in the island of Gran Canaria during 1990 and to analyze: a) mortality; b) the degree of functional capacity; c) their destination after being attended from the fracture. METHODS: Personal interviews were performed in almost every patient (68%), either directly to them or the relatives who were at their care (23.5%), after excluding those patients who died during the acute phase (7.6%) a year after the fracture. Two patients were missed (0.9%). We had the collaboration of every public and private center in the island. 209 patients (154 women and 55 men) were interviewed. Age mean of the patients was 77.1 +/- 10.9 years. The degree of functional capacity was determined by Karnofsky scale. RESULTS: Mortality within the acute phase was 7.6%, rising to 20.8% 6 months later and to 30.7% after a year. There was an important disability in 30.7% of the remainder living patients. In the postsurgical period, 18% of the patients were transferred to a center for chronic care and 25% to a rehabilitation center. Although 48.9% of the patients are discharged to their homes from the hospital, surprisingly, when they die, only 15% do so in their homes, while 59% of the patients die in a center for chronic care. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporotic proximal femoral fracture produces an important mortality within the first year after fracture, and also an important deterioration of functional capacity. Most of the patients are admitted later on and die in a center for chronic care.
