The impact of first wave of COVID-19 on the nursing-sensitive and rehabilitation outcomes of patients undergoing hip fracture surgery: a single centre retrospective cohort study

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the care of hip fracture patients remains a clinical priority. To date, there is limited empirical knowledge about the impact of pandemic on the care of patients surgically treated for hip fracture, affected or not by COVID-19.

Objective: To investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nursing-sensitive and rehabilitation outcomes of frail patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in an Italian Orthopaedic Research Institute. All patients aged ≥ 65 years admitted with fragility hip fractures between 1st March and 30th June in 2019 (group PP: pre-pandemic) and in the same period in 2020 (group P: pandemic), were compared. In the P group, COVID-19 positive patients were excluded due to the presence of a specific treatment pathway. Data on patient demographics and baseline characteristics, and peri-operative care factors were obtained from the Institute's computer-based patient-record system. The primary outcome was the incidence of any stage hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (PUs). The secondary outcome was time to first static verticalization and to first ambulation.

Results: Three-hundred and sixty patients were included in the study, which comprised 108 patients in PP group and 252 patients in P group. Overall PUs incidence was significantly higher in the P-group (21.8%) than in the PP-group (10.2%) (p = 0.009). Specifically, the incidence of sacral PUs was significantly lower in P-group (38.1%) vs PP-group (91%) (p = 0.004); on the contrary, the incidence of PUs localized to the heels or other body sites were significantly higher in P-group (30.9% and 30.9%, respectively) vs PP-group (0% and 9%, respectively) (p = 0.004). No significant between groups differences were found for all the secondary outcomes.

Conclusion: In the pandemic period, nursing and rehabilitation care provided to patients with fragility hip fracture maintained high standards comparable to the pre-pandemic period. The increase in PUs incidence in the pandemic period was probably due to the older age of the patients admitted to hospital. The qualitative evaluation of the care administered and the emotional impact of the pandemic on the patients are very interesting topic which would deserve further investigation.