{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nQuadriceps tendon rupture is a functionally devastating injury frequently affecting patients with high comorbidity burden and impaired physiological reserve. Frailty represents an age-independent construct of diminished physiological resilience; its impact on hospitalization and long-term functional outcomes after quadriceps tendon rupture remains poorly defined.Methods\n\nWe retrospectively analyzed 67 adults who underwent surgical repair or reconstruction for acute quadriceps tendon rupture (≤4 weeks) at four tertiary centers between 2019 and 2023. Pre-operative frailty was quantified using the 5-item modified frailty index (mFI-5) and the 9-point clinical frailty scale (CFS). CFS was assigned retrospectively by two orthopedic surgeons using dual-reviewer consensus (κ=0.82). Primary outcomes were length of hospital stay (LOS) and functional recovery at ≥12 months (Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale); Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and complications were secondary. Multivariable models were a priori restricted (six predictors for LOS, four for Lysholm; observations-per-predictor ≈11: 1 and ≈17: 1) and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, comorbidity burden, surgical technique, and follow-up.Results\n\nMean age was 57.5±12.1 years; 79.1% male. Higher mFI-5 scores were associated with prolonged LOS (r=0.404, p<0.001); in adjusted models, each 1-point increase in mFI-5 predicted a 1.26-day longer stay (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-1.90; adjusted R2=0.337). At a mean follow-up of 25.5 months, the mean Lysholm score was 52.2±17.5. CFS was independently associated with poorer recovery (r=-0.328, p=0.007); each 1-point CFS increase corresponded to a 4.32-point decrement in Lysholm (95% CI -6.98 to -1.67; adjusted R2=0.163). A sensitivity analysis excluding reconstruction cases (n=6) yielded essentially unchanged effect sizes (mFI-5 → LOS: β=1.22; CFS → Lysholm: β=-4.18). No significant association was detected between either frailty metric and complications (rate 10.4%, 7 events); however, this analysis was underpowered and should be interpreted with caution.Conclusion\n\nFrailty is associated with prolonged hospitalization and poorer patient-reported outcomes after surgical repair of quadriceps tendon rupture. Integration of mFI-5 and CFS into routine pre-operative evaluation may refine surgical planning, discharge coordination, and rehabilitation intensity.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Erzurum City Hospital, Erzurum-Türkiye.",
    "Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital Ankara-Türkiye.",
    "Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul-Türkiye.",
    "Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, İstanbul-Türkiye.",
    "Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, İstinye University, School of Medicine, İstanbul-Türkiye."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ekrem Ozdemir"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nasuhi Altay"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kenan Sen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Serhat Akcaalan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yasin Guler"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Mustafa Serpi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Cem Yildirim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Hasan Ceylan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Yavuz Sahbat"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fg8k6j21yzwqc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.14744/tjtes.2026.36602",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13678133",
  "id": "fg8k6j21yzwqc",
  "issns": [
    "1306-696X",
    "1307-7945"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42841891",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2746|Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220716659",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13678133?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13678133",
  "pmid": "42841891",
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fg8k6j21yzwqc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42841891",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42841891"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2746|Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Frailty is associated with prolonged hospitalization and inferior patient-reported outcomes after acute quadriceps tendon rupture: A multicenter cohort study.",
  "title_text": "Frailty is associated with prolonged hospitalization and inferior patient-reported outcomes after acute quadriceps tendon rupture: A multicenter cohort study.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fg8k6j21yzwqc",
  "venue": "Ulusal travma ve acil cerrahi dergisi = Turkish journal of trauma & emergency surgery : TJTES",
  "versions": []
}