Dataset Information

COVID-19 in Elderly Patients Surgically Treated for Lower Limbs Fracture.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak has posed new problems in the context of patients suffering from other diseases. In particular, musculoskeletal sequelae related to the state of debilitation associated with COVID-19 are important to consider in elderly patients undergoing surgery after lower limbs fracture, especially in the post-operative period. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether COVID-19 influenced biochemical parameter, recovery and mortality of surgically treated patients suffering from lower extremity fractures.

Methods

Laboratory and clinical data of 30 patients were extrapolated and analyzed in the pre-operative and post-operative periods. Among these patients, 13 had COVID-19 infection (COVID-19 +), whereas 17 had no signs of COVID-19 infections (COVID-19 -). Long-term clinical and functional outcomes were also analyzed.

Results

Lower calcium, slightly higher values of CRP and much higher values of CPK and AST were observed pre-operatively in COVID-19 + patients, who also showed higher prevalence of long-term sequelae than COVID-19 - patients.

Conclusions

COVID-19 affects long-term outcome of elderly patients with lower limb fractures in a multifactorial way. First, the virus directly damages the muscle tissue. Secondly, the lung function impairment worsens the overall performance, making rehabilitation more challenging.

SUBMITTER: Colombini A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8745572 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ImportanceOrthopedic injury is assumed to bear negative socioeconomic consequences. However, the magnitude and duration of a fracture's impact on patient income and social insurance benefits remain poorly quantified.ObjectiveTo characterize the association between orthopedic injury and patient income using state tax records.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study included adult patients surgically treated for an orthopedic fracture at a US academic trauma center from January 2003 through December 2014. Hospital data were linked to individual-level state tax records using a difference-in-differences analysis performed from November 2019 through August 2020. The control group comprised of data resampled from fracture patients at least 6 years prior to injury.ExposuresAn operatively treated fracture of the appendicular skeleton.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was individual annual earnings up to 5 years postinjury. Secondary outcomes included annual household income and US Social Security benefits for 5 years postinjury and catastrophic wage loss within 2 years of injury.ResultsA total of 9997 fracture patients (mean [SD] age, 44.6 [18.9] years; 6725 [67.3%] men) to 34 570 prefracture control participants (mean [SD] age, 40.0 [20.5] years; 21 666 [62.7%] men). The median (interquartile range) of preinjury wage earnings was $16 847 ($0 to $52 221). The mean annual decline in individual earnings during the 5 years following injury was $9865 (95% CI, -$10 686 to -$8862). Annual household income declined by $5259 (95% CI, -$6337 to -$4181) over the same period. A fracture was associated with a $206 (95% CI, $147 to $265) mean annual increase in Social Security benefits in the 5 years after injury. An injury increased the risk of catastrophic wage loss by 11.6% (95% CI, 10.5% to 12.7%). Substantial relative income loss was observed in patients with preinjury earnings in the top 3 quartiles, but changes in income were negligible for patients with preinjury earnings in the bottom quartile (19%; 95% CI, -4% to 48%).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of patients surgically treated for an orthopedic fracture at a US academic trauma center, fractures were associated with substantial individual and household income loss up to 5 years after injury, and 1 in 5 patients sustained catastrophic income loss in the 2 years after fracture. Gains in Social Security benefits offset less than 10% of annual income losses.

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