To explore factors associated with mortality in patients with trochanteric fracture.

A cross-sectional study was performed in patients with trochanteric fracture treated at Clinica Las Vegas, in Medellín, Colombia, during the period going from January 2008 to December 2015. Information was collected on demographic, clinical variables, surgical complications and mortality. Telephone follow-up was performed up to 6 months postoperatively. An exploratory analysis to identify possible factors associated with mortality was conducted. The Chi² test was used; the strength of the association was assessed through odds ratio (OR) and its respective Confidence Interval (CI) of 95%.

In total, 275 patients diagnosed with trochanteric fracture were included; 16.0% of patients died within 6 months following surgery. We found a higher risk of death in patients with surgery after 48hours OR 2.3 (95% CI, 1.0–5.1); acute renal failure featuring OR 3.4 (95% CI, 1.3–8.8); patients who received blood transfusions in the intraoperative featuring OR 4.4 (95% CI, 1.7–11.8); with urinary tract infection in the postoperative 7.1 (2.1–24.5); and patients with surgical site infection featuring OR 5.6 (95% CI, 1.1–28.5).

Trochanteric fracture mortality is associated with acute renal failure, blood transfusion, urinary tract infection and patients with surgical site infection.