Hip protectors fail to reduce fracture rates.

Chicago -- The first randomized controlled trial of hip protectors in U.S. nursing home residents was unable to detect a protective effect, even in residents with high compliance.

Studies that were conducted in Europe and Asia have resulted in conflicting data, possibly because of differences in randomization either by nursing homes or by individuals, Dr. Douglas P. Kid said at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.

Although five trials that randomized entire nursing homes have demonstrated that hip protectors are capable of reducing the risk of hip fractures, pooled data from eight studies that randomized residents within nursing homes did…