ArticleEFORT open reviews2025
Early weight-bearing after acetabular fractures in the older patient: a systematic review.
Article in EFORT open reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: While the incidence of acetabular fractures keeps rising among our older patient population, age-specific rehabilitation guidelines are lacking. Post-surgery weight-bearing is often restricted for 8-12 weeks to avoid secondary fixation failure. However, non- or restricted weight-bearing commonly results in atrophy, and older patients are at additional risk of long-term mobility and functionality loss. Therefore, if the risk of secondary fracture failure proves to be lower than currently believed, early or permissive weight-bearing might actually be the preferred treatment choice to advance fracture healing and decrease recovery time. This study aims to review the current literature on early weight-bearing outcomes of acetabular fractures in older adults. Methods: A systematic search of two databases was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies reported on early weight-bearing outcomes of older patients after surgical management. Data were showed in tables alongside a narrative synthesis. Critical appraisal and risk-of-bias tools assessed the study quality. Results: Six studies were included with a retrospective or observational design, with a total of 147 patients averaging 64 years old. The majority of studies discussed early weight-bearing protocols after percutaneous fixation (PF), with heterogeneity in terminology across protocols. Conclusions: Albeit limited and low in evidence, the included studies suggest that early weight-bearing might be a possible alternative for non- or minimally displaced fractures and displaced fractures after PF and open reduction internal fixation, respectively. When risk assessments and functional outcomes are appropriately investigated, early weight-bearing may help patients, especially older adults, avoid suffering and prolonged rehabilitation periods.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.