Brain atrophy evaluated by computed tomography in independent and institutionalized hip fracture patients.

Abstract

To examine if there is an association between brain computed tomography (CT) findings and place of residence in a series of hip fracture patients. The CT scans taken immediately after hip fracture of 215 patients (mean age 81.6 years) living in their own homes or otherwise independently (home-dwelling group) and 95 patients (mean age 82.5 years) permanently institutionalized (institutionalized group) were analysed. The institutionalized patients had significantly more cortical cerebral (frontal, p = 0.004; temporal, p = 0.007; parietal, p < 0.001) and central cerebral (third ventricle width, p < 0.001; frontal horn width, p < 0.001; midbody width, p < 0.001) atrophy than the home-dwelling ones. This was also true of atrophy in the white-matter (WM) area (p < 0.001). The institutionalized patients also had more atrophy of the cerebellar hemisphere (atrophy of the cerebellopontine angle cistern, p = 0.002, greater fourth ventricle width, p = 0.020). No significant difference was seen in the incidence of brain infarcts. Hip fracture patients living in institutions have more brain atrophy than those living independently. The brain atrophy may be one factor in the multiple mechanism underlying their institutional admission.