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Background: Patients with proximal femur fracture on antiplatelet treatment benefit from early surgery. Our goal was to perform early surgery under neuraxial anaesthesia when indicated by the platelet function test. Methods: We conducted a multicentre randomised open-label parallel clinical trial. Patients were randomised to either early platelet function-guided surgery (experimental group) or delayed surgery (control group). Early surgery was programmed when the functional platelet count (as measured by Plateletworks) was &gt, 80 × 109/L. The primary outcome was the emergency admission-to-surgery interval. Secondary outcomes were platelet function, postoperative bleeding, medical and surgical complications, and mortality. Results: A total of 156 patients were randomised, with 78 in each group, with a mean (SD) age of 85.96 (7.9) years, and 67.8% being female. The median (IQR) time to surgery was 2.3 (1.5–3.7) days for the experimental group and 4.9 (4.4–5.6) days for the control group. One-third of patients did not achieve the threshold functional platelet count on the first day of admission, requiring more than one test. There was no difference in clinical outcomes between groups. Conclusions: A strategy individualised according to the platelet function test shortens the time to proximal femur fracture surgery under neuraxial anaesthesia in patients on chronic antiplatelet treatment. Better powered randomised clinical trials are needed to further evaluate the clinical impact and safety of this strategy.

Femur fracture; Platelet aggregation inhibitors; Clinical protocol Factura de fèmur; Inhibidors de l'agregació plaquetària; Protocol d'assaig clínic Factura de fémur; Inhibidores de la agregación plaquetaria; Protocolo de ensayo clínico INTRODUCTION: Patients with femur fracture benefit from early surgery. Recent reports suggest that regional anesthesia may be superior to general anesthesia in these patients. Early surgery under spinal anesthesia could be performed safely by determining platelet function in patients receiving antiplatelet agents. METHODS: Multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel clinical trial expected to include 156 patients ≥ 18 years of age under chronic treatment with antiplatelet agents who develop a proximal femur fracture. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: presence of multiple or pathological fractures, current treatment with vitamin K antagonists or new oral anticoagulants, and congenital or acquired coagulopathy.Patients will be randomized to eitherThe primary endpoint is time (hours) from admission to surgery. Secondary endpoints include: platelet function; postoperative bleeding; medical-surgical complications; perioperative and 1-year mortality; quality of life; length of hospital stay; cost-effectiveness; and cost-utility. Follow-up assessments will be performed during hospital admission and at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The determination of platelet function at admission to the emergency department in patients with femoral fracture receiving antiplatelet therapy may permit earlier surgery under spinal anesthesia, thus shortening the hospital stay and reducing the risk of complications. These advantages associated with early surgery could positively impact patient well-being and also reduce treatment-related healthcare costs. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the ethics committees at all participating centers. Their results will be disseminated in congresses and published in peer reviewed journals.