Investigators at University Medical Center Leipzig Report Findings in Humeral Fracture (Health Care for Inpatients With a Proximal Humeral Fracture-an Analysis of Health Insurance Data): Humeral Fracture

2023 SEP 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Researchers detail new data in Humeral Fracture. According to news reporting originating from Leipzig, Germany, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “The proximal humeral fracture is one of the most common fractures in the elderly. While epidemiological factors have been well studied, the influence of a proximal humeral fracture on morbidity, mortality and associated costs has not yet been adequately analysed.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from University Medical Center Leipzig, “On a basis of 4.1 million insurance holders of the German public health insurance (GKV), patients with (study population, SP) and without (comparison group, VG) a proximal humeral fracture (pHF) were compared with regard to comorbidity, rehospitalisation, mortality, drug and aid needs as well as number of physician contacts. Study period was between 2012 and 2016. Results 6068 patients of the SP met the inclusion and exclusion criteria (age 69.4 +/- 14.3 years; male : female = 28.2%:71.8 %). 4781 patients (78.8 %) received surgical, 1287 patients (21.2 %) conservative treatment of the pHF. Rehospitalisations and visits to the general practitioner occurred more frequently in the SP vs. VG (p < 0.01). Contacts with specialists after pHF varied according to specialty, as did newly occurring diseases. Typical specialities for preventive examinations were significantly less common (gynaecology p< 0.01, pathology p< 0.01, dermatology p< 0.01). According to pHF, the costs of SP for drugs (2490.76 +/- 1395.51 (sic) vs. 2167.86 +/- 1314.43 (sic); p = 0.04), medical therapies (867.01 +/- 238.67 (sic) vs. 393.26 +/- 217.55 (sic); p< 0.01) and aids (821.02 +/- 415.73 (sic) vs. 513.52 +/- 368.76 (sic); p< 0.01) were significantly above the VG. The two-year survival after pHF is lower in the SP than in the VG (p < 0.01). The results show increased morbidity and mortality as well as medical costs after a proximal humeral fracture. Preventive examinations and treatments are rarer.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “In the future, care concepts for patients with proximal humeral fractures should not only be optimised with regard to functional scores and reduced complication rates, but also with regard to quality of life and preservation of general health.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Health Care for Inpatients With a Proximal Humeral Fracture-an Analysis of Health Insurance Data. Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und Unfallchirurgie, 2023;161(04):439-446. Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und Unfallchirurgie can be contacted at: Thieme Medical Publ Inc, 333 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Nikolaus von Dercks, University Medical Center Leipzig, Med Controlling, Leipzig, Germany. Additional authors for this research include Nils Kossack, Pierre Hepp, Jan Theopold, Ralf Henkelmann and Dennis Haeckl.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1716-2218. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)