Health related quality of life and mortality 10 years after a femoral neck fracture in patients younger than 70 years

objective: A femoral neck fracture (FNF) may have long term effects on the patient's health related quality of life (HRQoL) and mortality, especially in patients younger than 70 years. These long-term effects are unknown since most studies have a short follow-up. The aim of this study was to investigate self-assessed hip function, HRQoL and factors associated with 10-years mortality after a FNF. methods: A prospective multicenter study with a 10-year follow-up of patients aged 20-69 years with a displaced and non-displaced FNF treated with closed reduction and internal fixation. The self-administered questionnaires EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and Hip Disability Outcome Score (HOOS) were used. Results of EQ-5D and HOOS was compared to sex and age matched general population data of Sweden. All patients that were deceased had their death date recorded. Factors associated with mortality were assessed by regression analysis of the baseline data including age, gender, harmful alcohol consumption according to AUDIT, co-morbidity measured by ASA-grade, body mass index, osteoporosis measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and smoking. Prevalence of co-morbidities and smoking was compared to general population data. results: From initial 182 included patients, 55 were deceased at 10-year follow-up, 4 were deregistered from public record and 35 declined participations. A total of 88 patients participated through self-administrated questionnaires. There were no significant differences in HOOS between gender and fracture type and the results were equivalent to general population data. The EQ-5D continued to improve compared to a 24-month follow-up (p = 0.006) but did not recover to pre-fracture level (p<0.001) though it was equivalent to general population data. Higher age, co-morbidity, osteoporosis and smoking were associated with increased mortality within 10 years after the fracture and the prevalence of co-morbidity and smoking was higher than the general population. conclusions: Those patients who had survived 10 years after a FNF treated with CRIF had a HRQoL and hip function equivalent to age and sex matched general population of Sweden. However, a third of these relatively young patients had deceased 10 years after the hip fracture and they were more compromised than the general population.