PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AND OUTCOME IN ELDERLY PATIENTS UNDERGOING EMERGENCY HIP-SURGERY - A ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Fifty consecutive elderly patients undergoing emergency hip surgery were assessed shortly after operation and again one year later. Depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, global physical ill-health and activity of daily living (ADL) function were assessed and their predictive effect on outcome investigated. Mortality was predicted by the presence of both depression and dementia as well as by physical ill-health. The effect of depression on mortality was independent of concurrent physical illness. Mortality was particularly high in subjects with both depression and dementia. Length of hospital stay was predicted by age and physical ill-health but not by psychiatric morbidity. ADL functioning at one year was predicted by increased age and the presence of dementia. Psychiatric evaluation may thus be relevant to the postoperative management of elderly patients undergoing emergency hip surgery.