Prediction Rules for Selective Radiographic Assessment of Extremity Injuries in Children and Adolescents
1 From the Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Rochester General Hospital, New York
To assess the potential for selective use of roentgenography in evaluating extremity injuries, prediction rules were developed based on prospective observations for 617 injured children and adolescents examined in our Emergency Department (phase 1) and tested on 601 examined 1 year later (phase 2). Logit analysis produced best-fitting statistical models for phase 1 data with significant (P < 0.05) direct effects of gross signs, point tenderness, activity not routine, swelling moderate or severe, time from injury <6 hours, and pain with motion for upper extremity injuries; and, for lower extremity injuries, not knee injury, activity not routine, point tenderness, and foot injury. Prediction rules developed in phase 1 performed equally well when tested on phase 2 injuries. Data from both phases were combined, therefore, in analysis that produced risk estimates. For all injury types (ie, for injuries with all possible combinations of presence or absence of these findings), risk for fracture was derived. For upper extremity injuries, with a threshold risk for fracture of 20% used to select specific injury types for roentgenography, prediction rule outcomes were 18.1% of roentgenograms avoided and 5.3% of fractures missed. For lower extremity injuries, using a threshold risk of 10% to select injury types for roentgenography, outcomes were 25.8% of roentgenograms avoided and 5.3% of fractures missed. Alternative prediction rules allowed still greater roentgenogram avoidance, although missed fractures also increased. Risk of adverse functional outcome from missed fractures appeared small. Annual national cost savings from the elimination of 18.1% of upper and 25.8% of lower extremity roentgenographic evaluations was estimated at $103 million.
Key Words: prediction rules multivariate analysis extremity injury radiography
Submitted on February 28, 1989
Accepted on June 21, 1989
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
D Vijayasankar, A A Boyle, and P Atkinson Can the Ottawa knee rule be applied to children? A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies Emerg. Med. J., April 1, 2009; 26(4): 250 - 253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A P Webster, S Goodacre, D Walker, and D Burke How do clinical features help identify paediatric patients with fractures following blunt wrist trauma? Emerg. Med. J., May 1, 2006; 23(5): 354 - 357. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. MINIGH Imaging Sports-related Injuries Radiol. Technol., November 1, 2005; 77(2): 121 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. Petit, C. Sapin, G. Henry, M. Dahan, M. Panuel, B. Bourliere-Najean, K. Chaumoitre, and P. Devred Rate of Abnormal Osteoarticular Radiographic Findings in Pediatric Patients Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2001; 176(4): 987 - 990. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. G. Stiell, G. A. Wells, R. H. Hoag, M. L. A. Sivilotti, T. F. Cacciotti, P. R. Verbeek, K. T. Greenway, I. McDowell, A. A. Cwinn, G. H. Greenberg, et al. Implementation of the Ottawa Knee Rule for the Use of Radiography in Acute Knee Injuries JAMA, December 17, 1997; 278(23): 2075 - 2079. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. G. Stiell, G. H. Greenberg, G. A. Wells, I. McDowell, A. A. Cwinn, N. A. Smith, T. F. Cacciotti, and M. L. A. Sivilotti Prospective Validation of a Decision Rule for the Use of Radiography in Acute Knee Injuries JAMA, February 28, 1996; 275(8): 611 - 615. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. T. Chande Decision Rules for Roentgenography of Children With Acute Ankle Injuries Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, March 1, 1995; 149(3): 255 - 258. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. G. Shell, G. H. Greenberg, R. D. McKnight, R. C. Nair, I. McDowell, M. Reardon, J. P. Stewart, and J. Maloney Decision Rules for the Use of Radiography in Acute Ankle Injuries: Refinement and Prospective Validation JAMA, March 3, 1993; 269(9): 1127 - 1132. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. M. McConnochie, K. J. Roghmann, and J. Pasternack Developing Prediction Rules and Evaluating Observation Patterns Using Categorical Clinical Markers: Two Complementary Procedures Med Decis Making, February 1, 1993; 13(1): 30 - 42. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||










