Treatment of Proximal Humeral Fractures in Older Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

Julia Sußiek; Jeanette Koeppe; Karen Fischhuber; Janette Iking; Ursula Marschall; Michael J Raschke; J Christoph Katthagen; Josef Stolberg-Stolberg

doi:10.2147/CLEP.S486852

Treatment of Proximal Humeral Fractures in Older Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

Clin Epidemiol. 2025 Jan 17:17:9-18. doi: 10.2147/CLEP.S486852. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Julia Sußiek^#¹, Jeanette Koeppe^#^{2

3}, Karen Fischhuber^{2

3}, Janette Iking^{1

3}, Ursula Marschall⁴, Michael J Raschke¹, J Christoph Katthagen^{1

3}, Josef Stolberg-Stolberg^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Trauma-, Hand- and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
² Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
³ Research Group "Mathematical Surgery", University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
⁴ Department of Medicine and Health Services Research, BARMER Health Insurance, Wuppertal, Germany.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe influence on the entire health sector. Until today, the effect of a SARS-CoV-2 infection on older patients with a proximal humeral fracture (PHF) is unknown. This study examined the following questions: Did the incidence of PHF of older people in Germany vary during the pandemic? Did the treatment change between the lockdown and non-lockdown periods? Was a SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with a worse outcome?

Methods: Retrospective claims data of the BARMER health insurance were analysed. All in- and outpatient cases of insurance holders ≥65 years from 01/2010 to 09/2022, with coded diagnosis of PHF were analysed. Primary endpoints were the 1-month incidence of PHF per 100,000 insurance holders, number of operative therapies, in-hospital death and in-hospital major adverse events (MAEs).

Results: 174,898 inpatient PHF cases were included. During the lockdown periods, the total incidence fell, while the outpatient incidence partially increased during the pandemic-period. Regarding the therapy allocation, there were no relevant persisting changes. In a detailed analysis of 23,979 PHF cases from 01/2020 to 09/2022, 4.1% patients suffered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection and showed a notably higher in-hospital mortality (8.1% vs 2.5%; risk adjusted OR 2.79, 95% CI 2.11-3.70, p < 0.001) and more MAEs (17.0% vs 7.8%; risk adjusted OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.15-1.77, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall incidence of PHF in older patients was reduced. The treatment allocation did not change between the pre- and intra-pandemic period. An infection with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with higher mortality and more MAEs.

Keywords: COVID-19; geriatric surgery; health service research; proximal humerus fracture.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by funding program, “Innovative Medizinische Forschung” (grant number I-KÖ122113), which is a faculty research support by the University of Münster, Germany.