Mortality in patients over 65 with proximal humerus fractures: a systematic review of 414,379 shoulders with meta-analysis

Key Points

• This review aims to examine mortality rates associated with proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) in patients aged 65 and older.
• Conducted a systematic review of 414,379 shoulder fractures in patients aged ≥ 65 years.
• Analyzed mortality rates at 1-year and 5-year follow-ups.
• Performed a meta-analysis to synthesize findings across studies.
• Mortality at 1 year is 10.1% and at 5 years is 36.1% for patients with PHFs.
• Support for the classification of PHFs as fragility fractures in the elderly.
• Suggest the implementation of geriatric pathways for better patient outcomes.