Not regained health related quality of life 2 years after a femoral neck fracture in younger patients.

Background and purpose

Studies on patient related outcome in patient

Patients and methods

182 patients, 20-69 years with a displaced and non-displaced FNF treated with IF were included. Collected data were HRQoL (EQ-5D and SF-36) at 4, 12 and 24 months. Patients were asked to recall their pre-fracture values of EQ-5D and SF-36 from the week before the fracture and those were used as baseline values.

Results

EQ-5D index decreased in the displaced group from 0.81 to 0.65 at 2 years (p < 0.001) and 0.88 to 0.74 (p < 0.001) in the non-displaced group. The EQ-5D index showed a marked decrease in HRQoL for all patients with a FNF, regardless if re-operated or not, and the pre-fracture level was not reached. Mean SF36- total score in patients with displaced fracture decreased from 76 to 65 at 24 months (p < 0.001) and in non-displaced fracture from 80 to 76 (p < 0.001).Besides the physical impairments the social functioning and emotional role were still affected after 2 years.

Discussion

SF-36 and EQ-5D showed a loss in both physical and mental score 2 years after surgery in both groups. The influence on social and emotional roles were unexpected in this group of relatively young patients.

Conclusion

Pre-fracture level of EQ-5D and SF-36 were not regained at 24 months follow up regardless if re-operated or if the fracture was displaced or non-displaced.