SHBC1500

P.SUNDARAM¹, M.G.J.YAM¹, S.W.L.HO¹, E.B.K.KWEK² 

Tan Tock Seng Hospital¹, Sengkang General Hospital² 

Elderly patients with hip fractures experience a large degree of deconditioning and require extensive periods of rehabilitation. Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid used to promote muscle growth. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of nandrolone in improving rehabilitation and quality of life in elderly female patients with hip fractures undergoing hemiarthroplasty.

This is a double-blinded prospective randomized-controlled-trial consisting of female patients above the age of 65 with an isolated neck of femur fracture planned for treatment with a hip hemiarthroplasty. Participants were randomized into two arms of the study – post-operative intramuscular anabolic steroids vs normal saline placebo. The participants were followed up across a period of 1-year following the surgery. Clinical outcomes such as time taken to achieve rehabilitation milestones and distance of ambulation, as well as functional outcomes with the SF-36 questionnaire were monitored at regular intervals.

The study involved 23 subjects – 12 in the control group, 11 in the steroid group. There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups for time taken to achieve various rehabilitation milestones, distance of ambulation and functional SF-36 scores on discharge and at regular follow-up intervals. No post-operative complications were encountered by the subjects.

In our study, we found that the use of nandrolone did not lead to improved rehabilitation or quality of life in hip fracture patients who underwent hip hemiarthroplasty. It is a safe drug for use in the elderly and future work should study the effect of different dosing regimens on such patients.