DOES THE SEVERITY OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS AFFECT THE TYPE OF PROXIMAL FEMUR FRACTURE IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

OBJECTIVE: Knee Osteoarthritis, a prevalent degenerative joint condition, poses a significant global burden, while proximal femur fractures are increasingly common among the geriatric population. Understanding the relationship between these entities remains crucial for effective clinical management. This study aims to investigate the association between knee osteoarthritis severity and the nature of proximal femur fractures in geriatric patients undergoing proximal femoral nailing for intertrochanteric femoral fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 420 geriatric patients who underwent proximal femoral nailing (PFN) for femoral fracture between 2016 and 2021. Data on demographic characteristics, osteoarthritis severity (Kellgren-Lawrence classification), fracture type (AO/OTA classification), and clinical outcomes were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation of the hip fracture type with mild (Kellgren-Lawrence grades I/II) and severe (grades III/IV) knee osteoarthritis. RESULTS: Significant associations were observed between osteoarthritis severity and fracture type (p = 0.001). Patients with mild osteoarthritis predominantly exhibited AO/OTA type 1 fracture (74.7%), whereas those with severe osteoarthritis had a higher prevalence of AO/OTA type-2 (67.9%) and AO/OTA type 3 (18.6%) fractures. However, no significant difference was found in overall survival (p = 0.138) or revision rates (p = 0.978) between patients with mild and severe osteoarthritis. CONCLUSIONS: As the severity of osteoarthritis increased, the fracture type changed and was associated with a more comminuted fracture pattern.