Correlation between preexisting frailty and patient satisfaction following conservative treatment of proximal humerus fractures

Abstract

Proximal humerus fractures are common fragility fractures in older adults and are frequently managed nonoperatively. However, the relationship between frailty and outcomes after conservative treatment remains unclear. This study evaluated the association between frailty status and patient satisfaction, quality of life, and functional outcomes at 12 months after conservative treatment of proximal humerus fractures in patients older than 65 years. A secondary aim was to assess the association between satisfaction and functional outcomes. We performed a retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data from consecutive patients treated conservatively between August 2021 and May 2023. Frailty was assessed using the FRAIL scale within the first 7 days after fracture, and patients were classified as frail (FRAIL ≥3) or non frail (FRAIL ≤2). Outcomes at 12 months included SANE, ASES, Constant-Murley, and EuroQol scores. Seventy-three patients were included: 55 non frail and 18 frail. No significant differences were observed between frail and non frail patients in SANE, EuroQol, ASES, or Constant-Murley scores at 12 months. A positive association between SANE and ASES scores was observed. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the limited sample size and baseline differences between groups.