COVID-19 is associated with increased care needs and a decreased likelihood of returning home following a hip fracture: the IMPACT Frailty Study

Purpose: The primary aim was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on frailty in patients surviving a hip fracture. Secondary aims were to assess impact of COVID-19 on (i) length of stay (LoS) and post-discharge care needs, (ii) readmissions, and (iii) likelihood of returning to own home. Methods: This propensity score-matched case-control study was conducted in a single centre between 01/03/20–30/11/21. A ‘COVID-positive’ group of 68 patients was matched to 141 ‘COVID-negative’ patients. ‘Index’ and ‘current’ Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) scores were assigned for frailty at admission and at follow-up. Data were extracted from validated records and included: demographics, injury factors, COVID-19 status, delirium status, discharge destination, and readmissions. For subgroup analysis controlling for vaccination availability, the periods 1 March 2020–30 November 2020 and 1 February 2021–30 November 2021 were considered pre-/post-vaccine periods. Results: Median age was 83.0 years, 155/209 (74.2%) were female and median follow-up was 479 days (interquartile range [IQR] 311). There was an equivalent median increase in CFS in both groups (+1.00 [IQR 1.00–2.00, p = 0.472]). However, adjusted analysis demonstrated COVID-19 was independently associated with a greater magnitude change (Beta coefficient [β] 0.27, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.00–0.54, p = 0.05). COVID-19 in the post-vaccine availability period was associated with a smaller increase versus pre-vaccine (β −0.64, 95% CI −1.20 to −0.09, p = 0.023). COVID-19 was independently associated with increased acute LoS (β 4.40, 95% CI 0.22–8.58, p = 0.039), total LoS (β 32.87, 95% CI 21.42–44.33, p < 0.001), readmissions (β 0.71, 95% CI 0.04–1.38, p = 0.039), and a four-fold increased likelihood of pre-fracture home-dwelling patients failing to return home (odds ratio 4.52, 95% CI 2.08–10.34, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Hip fracture patients that survived a COVID-19 infection had increased frailty, longer LoS, more readmissions, and higher care needs. The health and social care burden is likely to be higher than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings should inform prognostication, discharge-planning, and service design to meet the needs of these patients.