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| Advances in hand therapy: best practice in conservative management of proximal phalangeal fractures in children |
| Kilty R, Baxter S, McKay MJ, Hiller CE |
| Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics 2024 May-Jun;44(5):e446-e451 |
| clinical trial |
| 7/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: Yes; Baseline comparability: No; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: Yes; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed* |
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BACKGROUND: Proximal phalangeal fractures are one of the most commonly treated hand injuries in children. Conservative management of these fractures is often to splint for 5 weeks post injury, despite children presenting as clinically healed at 3 weeks post injury. Therefore, we investigated the effect of splinting for only 3 weeks in children who present with clinically healed proximal phalangeal fractures at 3 weeks compared with usual care. METHODS: Participants (n = 80, aged 10.3 +/- 2.5 years) presenting to the Hand Clinic of a tertiary Children's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, were randomly allocated into a Current Protocol and a New Protocol group. Following were the inclusion criteria: aged between 5 and 16 years; present with an non-displaced or minimally displaced and stable fracture; no surgical intervention; assessed as clinically healed at 3-week visit. The primary outcome measure was total active motion (TAM) of the injured digit compared with the contralateral digit (deg), at 5 weeks post injury. Secondary outcome measures were grip strength, and a parent-reported questionnaire. Statistical analysis used Chi-squared test and the absolute difference described by a 90% CI. The New Protocol was considered noninferior if the 90% CI overlap was > 20% of the Current Protocol. Analysis was by intention to treat. RESULTS: There was a 10% loss to follow up at 5 weeks (Current Protocol = 4, New Protocol = 4). All CIs between groups overlapped by > 10%. TAM 90% CI for Current Protocol was 17.7 to 5.4 degrees and for the New Protocol was 4.7 to 1.6 degrees. CONCLUSIONS: A change in practice is warranted to cease immobilization for children with conservatively managed proximal phalangeal fractures who present as clinically healed at 3 weeks. Therapist assessment of fracture healing is an appropriate indicator for intervention and can be utilized in a therapist-led model of care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1-noninferiority randomized control trial with 2 parallel arms.
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