Improved functional outcome after hip fracture is associated with duration of rehabilitation, but not with waiting time for rehabilitation.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between "waiting time to onset of municipal rehabilitation", "length of municipal rehabilitation" and the attained level of function four months after the hip fracture. METHODS Among a consecutive series of 156 patients, the 116 patients who were recommended a municipal rehabilitation sequence after discharge were included. The expos-ures were waiting time in days and duration in hours of the municipal rehabilitation. The outcome was lower-extremity functional level as measured with the Short Physical Per-form-ance Battery. Effects were assessed with non-parametric gamma coefficients. RESULTS The median waiting time to initiation of rehabilitation was ten days. A weak and insignificant correlation was observed between waiting time and outcome at four months, and a statistically significant correlation was recorded between duration of municipal rehabilitation and outcome, also at four months. No marked differences in these results were found when subgrouped by pre-fracture level of function as assessed with the Barthel-20 index. CONCLUSIONS Waiting times from hospital discharge to initiation of municipal rehabilitation seems not to correlate with functional level four months after the hip fracture. In contrast, the amount of municipal rehabilitation time does correlate with a better functional level four months after the hip fracture. Furthermore, large-sample studies are warranted to clarify this relationship. FUNDING none. TRIAL REGISTRATION not relevant.