FEMuR III
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A definitive randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a community-based Rehabilitation package following hip fracture.
IRAS ID
246828
Contact name
Alex Astor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
38492, CPMS
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Broken hips are a major health problem in the frail elderly. They cost the UK economy £2.3 billion per year. Rehabilitation has the potential to improve recovery and preserve independence, but more evidence is needed. We have developed a new rehabilitation programme following the surgical repair of a broken hip. This new programme is designed to enhance usual care by improving patients’ self-belief and by increasing the amount and quality of patients’ practice of physical exercise and activities of daily living. It consists of a workbook and goal-setting diary held by the patient, and six additional therapy sessions available to patients once they have returned home. We have completed a feasibility study which found that the methods for performing the trial worked well. The number of participants in the study was too small to say for certain, but there was a medium sized improvement in the ability to perform the activities of daily living. We are now ready to run a larger trial to see if this is true, and is good value for money.
Lay summary of study results: Two hundred and five people agreed to take part. The trial was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We had to stop recruiting people. We could not visit them in their home to give the FEMuR intervention, or to fill out questionnaires or test physical function. The results were that after 12 months people in the FEMuR intervention group did not perform more activities of daily living than the usual care group. Neither was there any difference in their mental health, confidence, fear of falling, hip pain, nor quality of life. When we could measure physical function, this was not better either. The FEMuR intervention group had higher costs. On average, the FEMuR intervention group received only 4-5 extra therapy sessions, only two of which were delivered in-person.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0300
Date of REC Opinion
31 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion