Read the full article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/hpi

Hip fractures are a common and serious injury in older people, with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Accurately predicting the risk of adverse outcomes following hip fractures is crucial for proper care planning and informed decision-making. The Older Persons’ Emergency Risk Assessment (OPERA) score is a risk stratification tool for older patients admitted to the hospital, which has been previously validated in various settings. In this study, the OPERA score was validated and updated specifically for hip fracture patients, resulting in a new score named Hip-OPERA.

The study included over 2,000 patients aged 65 years and above with acute hip fractures who were managed surgically over three years. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality, and secondary outcomes included residence status at 120 days and 1-year mortality. The performance of the Hip-OPERA score was compared to the previously used Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) and the original OPERA score.

The Hip-OPERA score demonstrated superior discrimination in predicting 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality, and new residential care status at 120 days compared to the NHFS and OPERA scores. The study’s findings highlight the importance of developing and validating risk stratification tools specifically for hip fracture patients to improve care planning and outcomes.

It is important to note that external validation of the Hip-OPERA score is needed to confirm its effectiveness in other settings. Nonetheless, this study’s results suggest that the Hip-OPERA score may provide an improved tool for healthcare professionals in predicting adverse outcomes following hip fractures.