Introduction: A minority of patients with hip fractures sustain concomitant wrist fractures. Little is known about the rehabilitation outcome in this group of patients.
Aim of study: Prospective investigation of functional outcome and survival in patients with combined hip and wrist fractures compared with patients who sustain an isolated hip fracture.
Methods: 341 patients who presented with an acute hip fracture during a 12 month period were included in the study. Outcome at discharge and 4 months follow-up was compared between patients with isolated hip fractures and those patients who sustained simultaneous distal wrist fractures.
Results: The actual incidence of concurrent hip and wrist fractures in our cohort was 4.7%. Patients who sustained a concurrent hip and wrist fracture showed no differences regarding short- and long-term functional outcome and survival.
Conclusion: Our results imply that patients with simultaneous hip and wrist fractures have no difference in rehabilitative outcome. Future studies should further investigate the distinctive characteristics of this patient subgroup.
Keywords: functional outcome; hip fracture; mortality; rehabilitation; wrist fracture.