Older adults face elevated risk of death after pelvic fractures, study reveals

Adults older than 60 years face an increased risk of dying in the first 8 months following a pelvic fracture, new research indicates.

In the first 4 weeks after fracture, individuals age 60 years and older faced a 3-times higher risk of death, after adjusting for confounding factors. Their elevated risk decreased over subsequent weeks but was still significant up to week 32.

The results, which come from a large population-based study in Germany, emphasize the severity of pelvic fractures and the need for more effective preventive strategies.

"Our study presents comprehensive results on excess mortality after pelvic fracture. Further studies that investigate potential prevention and treatment improvements to reduce mortality after pelvic fracture are needed," said Dr. Silke Andrich, lead author of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research study.