Functional level at discharge is the main determinant of long-term mortality in patients with hip fracture. Motor FIM score at discharge is a reliable predictor of mortality and can be recommended for clinical use.

Decreased muscle strength is not only a risk factor for hip fracture in older patients, but plays a role in recovery of physical function. Our aim was to assess the role of grip strength measured early after hip fracture, and classified according to the EWGSOP2 criteria in predicting short- and long-term functional recovery. One hundred ninety-one patients with acute hip fracture consecutively admitted to an orthopaedic hospital have been selected. A multidimensional geriatric assessment evaluating sociodemographic variables, cognitive status, functional status and quality of life prior to fracture, as well as perioperative variables were performed. Follow-ups at 3 and 6 months after surgery were carried out to evaluate functional recovery. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the predictive role of handgrip strength. The mean age of the participants was 80.3 ±6.8 years. Thirty-five percent of our patients with clinically relevant hand grip strength weakness were significantly older, more often female, had a lower BMI, and were of worse physical health. They also had a lower cognitive level, lower Barthel index, and lower EQ5D scores before fracture. Multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and gender revealed that hand grip weakness was an independent predictor of worse functional outcome at 3 and 6 months after hip fracture for both genders and in all age populations. Our study supports the prognostic role of hand grip strength assessed at hospital admission in patients with hip fracture. Thus, clinicians should be encouraged to include hand grip assessment in their evaluation of hip fracture patients in the acute setting in order to optimize treatment of high-risk individuals.

Depressive symptoms and delirium increase the likelihood of adverse outcomes after hip fracture in a step-wise manner when they coexist. To reduce the risk of adverse outcome in individuals with hip fracture, efforts to identify, prevent, and treat this condition need to be increased.

Purpose Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication of orthopaedic surgery in the industrialised world; though there may be variability between population groups. This study aims to define the incidence and risk factors for symptomatic VTE following primary elective total hip and knee arthoplasty surgery in a single centre in Eastern Europe. Methods This prospective study included 499 adult patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty for symptomatic osteoarthritis over a two-year period at the Clinic of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Belgrade. Results The overall rate of confirmed symptomatic VTE during hospitalisation was 2.6%. According to the univariate logistic regression, an age greater than 75 years (OR03.08; 95%CI01.01-9.65), a family history of VTE (OR06.61; 95% CI01.33-32.90), varicose veins (OR03.13; 95% CI01.03-9.48), and ischemic heart disease (OR04.93; 95% CI01.61-15.09) were significant risk factors for in-hospital VTE.