Rehabilitation after hip fracture increases independence of patients with dementia

Dementia is associated with less favourable outcome of rehabilitation after hip fracture, but studies have produced conflicting results on the benefits of geriatric assessment and rehabilitation. On p 1107 Huusko et al report a subgroup analysis of a randomised, controlled trial on the effect of intensive geriatric rehabilitation on patients with hip fracture. Among patients with mini mental state examination scores indicating mild or moderate dementia, the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter for patients who received geriatric rehabilitation than for those randomised to standard care. Fewer patients with moderate dementia were in residential care after the first year. The findings emphasise the need for intensive geriatric rehabilitation of hip fracture patients with mild or moderate dementia.

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Randomised, clinically controlled trial of intensive geriatric rehabilitation in patients with hip fracture: subgroup analysis of patients with dementia

Tiina M Huusko, Pertti Karppi, Veikko Avikainen, Hannu Kautiainen, and Raimo Sulkava
BMJ 2000 321: 1107-1111. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]