Mortality following fragility fractures of the pelvis: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFPs) in older adults are increasingly recognized as serious injuries with substantial morbidity. However, mortality after FFP has not been comprehensively quantified across timepoints or patient subgroups, limiting the ability to inform prognosis and guide clinical strategies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the 1-year mortality following FFP in patients aged ≥60 years. We also assessed the mortality at 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, 2 years, and 5 years after FFP, and the differences in mortality by geographic region, sex, fracture classification, or treatment modality.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published from inception to May 2024 in MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases. Eligible studies reported mortality outcomes in patients aged ≥60 years with FFP. A random-effects model was used to estimate pooled mortality at prespecified time points. We assessed the risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Prevalence Critical Appraisal Tool. Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess differences by region, sex, fracture classification, and treatment modality. We conducted a sensitivity analysis including only the high-quality studies according to the JBI assessment. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

Results

The pooled 1-year mortality was 17 % (95 % confidence interval, 14 %–19 %). The certainty of this evidence was rated as low because of publication bias and heterogeneity. The mortality at 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, 2 years, and 5 years were 5 %, 10 %, 14 %, 26 %, and 46 %, respectively. Mortality was lower in studies from Asia than in those from Europe or North America. Male sex, lower-grade FFPs, and nonoperative management showed numerically higher mortality, though not statistically significant.

Conclusion

FFPs are associated with substantial short- and long-term mortality, warranting their recognition as high-risk injuries in older adults. Regional and treatment-related variation highlights the need for individualized management. Future research should clarify causal mechanisms and assess targeted interventions to reduce mortality risk.