Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Review Meta Analysis
Is operative delay associated with increased mortality of hip fracture patients? Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.
Mortality associated with hip fracture is high in elderly patients. Surgical repair within 24 hr after admission is recommended by The Royal College of Physicians' guidelines; however, the effect of operative delay on mortality remains controversial. The objective of this study was to determine whether operative delay increases mortality in elderly patients with hip fracture. ⋯ In hip fracture patients, operative delay beyond 48 hr after admission may increase the odds of 30-day all-cause mortality by 41% and of one-year all-cause mortality by 32%. Potential residual confounding factors in observational studies may limit definitive conclusions. Although routine surgery within 48 hr after admission is hard to achieve in most facilities, anesthesiologists must be aware that an undue delay may be harmful to hip fracture patients, especially those at relatively low risk or those who are young.