Protein Supplementation for Hip Fracture Recovery in Elderly Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Study Summary

80 elderly patients aged 60 years or more with surgically treated proximal femoral fractures were included in this two-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which patients were randomized to receive either creatine and HMB-enriched protein supplementation or an isocaloric maltodextrin placebo for one month following surgery. The primary outcome of interest was mobility recovery, assessed using the Parker Mobility Score (PMS) at 1 month. Secondary outcomes included serum albumin, hemoglobin, lymphocyte count, total protein, mortality, and postoperative complications. Outcomes were assessed at 1 month and 6 months after surgery. Overall, the results of the study revealed that protein supplementation significantly improved early mobility recovery and was associated with lower 6-month mortality, although long-term mobility and postoperative complication rates were similar between groups. These findings suggest that creatine and HMB-enriched protein supplementation is an effective addition to postoperative care for enhancing early functional recovery and survival in elderly patients after hip fracture surgery.