## 3 Results
### Profile of Hip Fracture Patients Admitted during the Second Wave of the Pandemic  
The baseline characteristics of the patients that underwent surgery during the second wave were similar to those of the pre-pandemic reference patient population. The type of fracture was the only variable that differed statistically between the two groups: there was a reduction in the number of patients diagnosed with a femoral neck fracture, and consequently the type of surgery performed for this was also reduced, while the number of osteosynthesis procedures increased. Table 1 summarises the basic patient characteristics, the variables of the healthcare approach, and the outcomes measured. As regards the healthcare approach, some differences emerged regarding the use of air mattresses--this significantly dropped from 89.8% in the pre-pandemic period to 71%--and in bladder catheter management--the number of days on the catheter and number of patients discharged with a catheter dropped during the pandemic period.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline  & **2019** & **2020** & **Combined** & \\  & **(N = 108)** & **(N = 194)** & **(N = 302)** & **\(p\)-Value** \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{**Patient demographics and baseline characteristics**} \\ \hline Female gender, \(n\) (\%) & 81 (75) & 125 (64) & 206 (68) & 0.059 \\ \hline Median (IQR) age, (years) & 82 (12) & 84 (12) & 83 (12) & 0.3 \\ \hline Presence of PUs at admission, \(n\) (\%) & 10 (9.3) & 11 (6) & 21 (7) & 0.2 \\ \hline Median (IQR) Braden Index score * & 15 (2) & 15 (3) & 15 (3) & 0.74 \\ \hline Patients with a femoral neck fracture, \(n\) (\%) & 74 (68.5) & 106 (55) & 180 (60) & 0.018 \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{**Peri-operative care**} \\ \hline Median (IQR) length of stay (days) & 8.5 (4) & 9 (3) & 9 (4) & 0.037 \\ \hline Median (IQR) pre-operative length of stays (days) & 2 (1) & 2 (1) & 2 (1) & 0.92 \\ \hline Median (IQR) post-operative length of stays (days) & 7 (4) & 7 (3) & 7 (3) & 0.038 \\ \hline Patients with an anti-decubitus air mattress, \(n\) (\%) & 97 (89.8) & 137 (71) & 234 (77) & \textless{}0.001 \\ \hline \multicolumn{5}{c}{Patients with a urinary catheter inserted in} \\ \multicolumn{5}{c}{hospital, \(n\) (\%)} & 76 (70.4) & 123 (63) & 199 (66) & 0.22 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 1: Baseline characteristics and outcome.  
Figure 1: Flow Diagram.  
The incidence of pressure ulcers increased from 10% in the pre-pandemic period to 21% in the second wave (\(p\) = 0.016). In the pandemic period, there was a reduction in sacrum and second-degree ulcers while, at the same time, there was a sharp increase in heel and first-degree ulcers. The mean time to onset did not differ between the two study periods. A look at the recovery of deambulation shows no significant difference in either the number of people able to recover walking (78.7% vs. 76%; \(p\) = 0.56) or the recovery time in terms of days needed to walk the first time (3 days vs. 2 days; \(p\) = 0.44). In the pre-pandemic period only one event/fall was recorded for one patient, i.e., 0.9%, while, during the P2 period, four such events/falls were recorded for three patients, i.e., 2.1%.