Anticoagulation drug use and rehabilitation outcomes in post-acute hip fractured patients

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the relationship between anticoagulant use and rehabilitation outcomes in post-acute hip fracture patients.

Methods

A retrospective study (1/2017 to 5/2019) of 299 hip fractured patients.

Outcome measures

Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the motor FIM’s effectiveness.

Results

Patients treated with anticoagulation drugs exhibited a significant longer latency time from fracture to surgery (U = –4.37, p < 0.001) and from surgery to rehabilitation (U=–2.27, p = 0.023), and a significantly higher rate of cardiovascular diseases (χ²=0.15, p= 0.023) compared with untreated patients. No significant differences between the two patient groups were found regarding the rate of blood transfusions, perioperative complications (infections, reoperation), or functional outcome measures.

Conclusions

Oral anticoagulants are not associated with rehabilitation outcomes of hip fracture patients.

Implications rehabilitation

• Anticoagulation drug use is not associated with functional outcome of post-acute hip fracture patients.

• It is recommended to renew oral anticoagulants for patients on chronic treatment after surgery since no negative outcomes were found during rehabilitation under anticoagulant treatment and in light of the importance of these drugs in preventing thromboembolic complications.

Keywords:

• Anticoagulation
• hip fracture
• older people
• rehabilitation
• outcomes
• frail

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mrs. Phyllis Curchack Kornspan for her editorial services.

Disclosure statement

The authors report that there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (AH) upon reasonable request.