Table 1 Participant characteristics at baseline by gender

Group (HIGH:LOW)

65:65

15:15

-

Age at fracture (years), mean (SD)

84.4 (6.7)

81.7 (10.6)

2.7 (-0.4 to 5.7), 0.083

Height (cm), mean (SD)

157.6 (7.7)

168.3 (14.5)

-10.7 (-14.4 to -7.0), p < 0.01

Mass (kg), mean (SD)

58.5 (12.0)

67.8 (15.0)

-9.3 (-14.4 to -4.3), p < 0.01

Pre-fracture Barthel Index, mean (SD)

93.9 (9.0)

96.2 (9.3)

-2.3 (-5.9 to 1.4), 0.217

Pre-fracture falls, mean (SD)

1.7 (1.5)

2.3 (2.3)

-0.6 (-1.3 to 0.0), 0.066

Pre-fracture co-morbidities, mean (SD)

3.8 (1.8)

4.1 (2.1)

-0.3 (-1.1 to 0.4), 0.384

Pre-fracture services, mean (SD)

1.1 (1.4)

1.1 (1.3)

0.1 (-0.5 to 0.6), 0.859

Medications, mean (SD)

6.7 (2.7)

5.8 (2.5)

0.9 (-0.2 to 2.0), 0.094

Hostel dwelling, n (%)

28 (21.5)

1 (3.3)

5.4, p = 0.020

Type of pre-fracture walking aid,

 No aids or using walking stick or crutches, n (%)

104 (80)

26 (86.7)

0.7, p = 0.399

 All other aids, n (%)

26 (20)

4 (13.3)

Left hip fracture, n (%)

77 (59.2)

18 (60)

0.006, p = 0.938

Type of fracture,

 Intra-capsular, n (%)

63 (49.2)*

15 (50)

0.006, p = 0.939

 Trochanteric, n (%)

65 (50.8)*

15 (50)

Type of surgery,

 Bone screw, plate or other, n (%)

79 (60.8)

17 (56.7)

0.1, p = 0.738

 Arthroplasty, n (%)

51 (39.2)

13 (43.3)

Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire ≥3 adjusted errors, n (%)

48 (36.9)

6 (20)

3.2, p = 0.077