In this observational, single-center, retrospective cohort study, the 1-year mortality rate and loss to follow-up rate were 19.8% (117/591), and 6.0% (38/629), respectively. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, we found that advanced age, preoperative arrhythmias, high level of NLR, respiratory failure and acute cardiovascular events postoperatively were independent risk factors for survival within the first postoperative year.
There is consensus that advanced age is an independent risk factor for postoperative survival in elderly hip fracture patients[8, 9]. Cui et al[10] reported the 1-year mortality of elderly hip fractures in China from 2000 to 2018, and they found that mortality increased simultaneously with age, with a 1-year mortality rate of more than 23.4% in hip fracture patients over 90 years of age. Elderly patients often have more comorbidities and decreased organ function that cannot effectively resist perioperative surgical and anesthetic stimuli. Therefore, effective elimination of adverse perioperative stimuli can improve postoperative survival in elderly patients [11].
The heart in elderly patients is often associated with pathological changes such as myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis, inflammation and persistent stiffness[12], and the sinoatrial node and conduction system of the heart are often affected by pathological changes. Clinically, it may present as bradyarrhythmia, tachyarrhythmia or tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome. Several studies have reported that bradyarrhythmia, tachyarrhythmia or tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome are associated with higher postoperative mortality[13-15]. Adunsky et al [16]found a 1-fold increase in mortality in elderly hip fractures with atrial fibrillation compared with patients without atrial fibrillation for at least 365 days; Frenkel et al [17]investigated 701 elderly hip fractures patients who over 90 years, and showed that the median survival was 201 days in patients with atrial fibrillation and 377 day in patients without atrial fibrillation; Härstedt et al [18]found that pathological bradycardia was also an independent risk factor for mid- to long-term survival in elderly patients with hip fracture. Our multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis found that preoperative combined with arrhythmias were also an independent risk factor for 1-year survival time in elderly and critically ill patients with hip fracture, and 1-year mortality was 1.95 times higher in hip fracture patients with arrhythmias than in patients without arrhythmias. Therefore, a comprehensive preoperative evaluation of patients with arrhythmias should be performed to reduce the impact of adverse factors such as perioperative pain, anemia, and volume overload. This will prevent aggravation or worsening of arrhythmias and reduce the incidence of acute postoperative cardiovascular events. Because our study also suggested that postoperative acute cardiovascular events were associated with a 1.65-fold increase in 1-year mortality (95CI: 1.05 – 2.59).
The occurrence of respiratory failure in the perioperative period is also an important risk factor affecting the prognosis of hip fractures in the elderly[19]. The causes of respiratory failure in elderly patients are mainly as follows: first, the elderly patients would have degenerative physiological changes in lung compliance, respiratory mucosa, cilia movement, lung volume and respiratory rate with aging[20]. With a progressive decline in systemic immunity, the respiratory tract was susceptible to lung infections from bacterial and viral invasion, which subsequently developed into respiratory failure in severe cases; Secondly, trauma, pain and other stimuli could result in a state of systemic stress, and lead to an increase in oxygen demand and respiratory muscle work, which might develop respiratory muscle weakness and respiratory failure[21]; Finally, respiratory failure could also occur in elderly patients with existing diseases under traumatic stimulation. Chen et al [22] found that elderly hip fracture patients preoperative combined with hypertension, obstructive lung disease, bronchiectasis, and a history of respiratory failure were significantly more likely to develop respiratory failure postoperatively. Wang et al [23] showed that the occurrence of postoperative respiratory failure was an independent risk factor for survival within 1 and 2 postoperative years after following up 144 intertrochanteric fracture patients. Our study also found that the occurred of respiratory failure in the perioperative period was also an important risk factor for survival in the 1-year postoperative period. Patients who developed respiratory failure had 1.95 fold (95CI: 1.26 - 2.70) mortality in 1 year than those who did not. Therefore, reducing the occurrence of perioperative respiratory failure was beneficial in reducing postoperative mortality.
The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was a potential indicator of dysregulated immune homeostasis and systemic inflammatory response in the body [24].Vaughan-Shaw et al [25]found that NLR was a good predictor of 30-day mortality, six-month mortality, and 1-year mortality after emergency abdominal surgery in the elderly. Zhou et al [26] found that when the NLR ratio was more than 6.939, patients had significantly increased mortality within 1 year. The results of our study also suggest that high preoperative NLR increases postoperative mortality within 1 year. The level of NLR reflects the patient's systemic stress state, which increases the likelihood of perioperative pulmonary complications, acute cardiovascular events, and acute kidney injury at high intensity[27, 28]. Therefore, we need to pay more attention to prevent acute adverse events in patients with high perioperative NLR values.
Reviewing the entire study, we still have many limitations. First, although we performed postoperative follow-up, many family members kept the causes postoperative patient death confidential or could not describe them accurately, preventing us from conducting an in-depth summary in-depth summary and analysis of the causes of postoperative death; second, as a single-center retrospective study with a moderate sample size, it was not yet possible to adequately compare the effects of type of anesthesia and ICU interventions on postoperative survival time in elderly and critically ill patients with hip fracture.
The results of this study showed that advanced age, preoperative combined arrhythmias, high preoperative NLR levels, and postoperative acute cardiovascular events were independent risk factors for 1-year survival in elderly patients with critical hip fractures. Preoperative NLR high level and other tests can be used as important indicators to determine the prognosis of patients.