Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak has posed new problems in the context of patients suffering from other diseases. In particular, musculoskeletal sequelae related to the state of debilitation associated with COVID-19 are important to consider in elderly patients undergoing surgery after lower limbs fracture, especially in the post-operative period. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether COVID-19 influenced biochemical parameter, recovery and mortality of surgically treated patients suffering from lower extremity fractures. Methods: Laboratory and clinical data of 30 patients were extrapolated and analyzed in the pre-operative and post-operative periods. Among these patients, 13 had COVID-19 infection (COVID-19 +), whereas 17 had no signs of COVID-19 infections (COVID-19 −). Long-term clinical and functional outcomes were also analyzed. Results: Lower calcium, slightly higher values of CRP and much higher values of CPK and AST were observed pre-operatively in COVID-19 + patients, who also showed higher prevalence of long-term sequelae than COVID-19 − patients. Conclusions: COVID-19 affects long-term outcome of elderly patients with lower limb fractures in a multifactorial way. First, the virus directly damages the muscle tissue. Secondly, the lung function impairment worsens the overall performance, making rehabilitation more challenging.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Mortality, elderly, surgery, lower limbs, fractures, clinical biochemistry, long-term consequences, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, pandemic, rehabilitation, CRP, outcome, virus, Prevalence, COVID-19 infection, outbreak, Lung function, Patient, AST, patients, Elderly patient, lower limb, Musculoskeletal, biochemical, other diseases, Clinical data, problem, impairment, Lower, parameter, multifactorial, Affect, CPK, analyzed, evaluate, functional, had no, much higher, muscle tissue, treated patient, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 Fracture, Lower,