Undernutrition, Sarcopenia, and Frailty in Fragility Hip Fracture: Advanced Strategies for Improving Clinical Outcomes

Nutrients. 2020 Dec 4;12(12):3743. doi: 10.3390/nu12123743.

Abstract

Geriatric patients with hip fractures often experience overlap in problems related to nutrition, including undernutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty. Such problems are powerful predictors of adverse responses, although few healthcare professionals are aware of them and therefore do not implement effective interventions. This review aimed to summarize the impact of undernutrition, sarcopenia, and frailty on clinical outcomes in elderly individuals with hip fractures and identify successful strategies that integrate nutrition and rehabilitation. We searched PubMed (MEDLINE) and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for relevant literature published over the last 10 years and found that advanced interventions targeting the aforementioned conditions helped to significantly improve postoperative outcomes among these patients. Going forward, protocols from advanced interventions for detecting, diagnosing, and treating nutrition problems in geriatric patients with hip fractures should become standard practice in healthcare settings.

Keywords: elderly; fragility hip fracture; frailty syndrome; muscular atrophy; undernutrition.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Frail Elderly / statistics & numerical data
  • Frailty / epidemiology*
  • Hip Fractures / epidemiology*
  • Hip Fractures / rehabilitation
  • Hip Fractures / therapy
  • Humans
  • Malnutrition / epidemiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutritional Status
  • Sarcopenia / epidemiology*