Factors affecting management of children's low-risk distal radius fractures in the emergency department: a population-based retrospective cohort study

CMAJ Open. 2021 Jun 15;9(2):E659-E666. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20200116. Print 2021 Apr-Jun.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Ten randomized controlled trials over the last 2 decades support treating low-risk pediatric distal radius fractures with removable immobilization and without physician follow-up. We aimed to determine the proportion of these fractures being treated without physician follow-up and to determine whether different hospital and physician types are treating these injuries differently.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using ICES data. We included children aged 2-14 years (2-12 yr for girls and 2-14 yr for boys) with distal radius fractures having had no reduction or operation within a 6-week period, and who received treatment in Ontario emergency departments from 2003 to 2015. Proportions of patients receiving orthopedic, primary care and no follow-up were determined. Multivariable log-binomial regression was used to quantify associations between hospital and physician type and management.RESULTS: We analyzed 70 801 fractures. A total of 20.8% (n = 14 742) fractures were treated without physician follow-up, with the proportion of physician follow-up consistent across all years of the study. Treatment in a small hospital emergency department (risk ratio [RR] 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72-2.01), treatment by a pediatrician (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.11-1.34) or treatment by a subspecialty pediatric emergency medicine-trained physician (RR 1.73...
Source: cmaj - Category: General Medicine Authors: Source Type: research