Muscle dysfunction in elderly individuals with hip fracture

Objective. To investigate muscle metabolism in elderly people with hip frac ture. Methods. Free carnitine, carnitine esters, and respiratory chain enzyme act ivity were measured in muscle tissue from 54 patients over 65 years who und erwent surgery for hip fracture, and from 10 healthy controls. Results. Eighty-five percent of patients older than 85 have either abnormal carnitine distribution or defects in dir respiratory chain. Conclusion. Elderly patients with hip fracture have muscle metabolic altera tions that may contribute to neuromuscular impairment and be amenable to th erapy.