Fractures in the lower leg in children.

Fractures in the lower leg are common in children and are most often due to accidental falls. A significant part of the fractures involves the growth plates. This review describes a broad range of techniques for treatment ranging from immobilization in a cast to open reduction and fixation with K-wires, screws, or flexible intramedullary nails. Premature growth arrest is relatively common following the physeal fractures in proximal or distal tibia. We recommend early consultation with a tertiary care centre for guidance and planning of the best treatment.

Sliding hip screw vs intramedullary nail for AO/OTA31A1-A3: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: to conduct a systematic review with consequent meta-analysis evaluating the best treatment for Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) 31A1-A3 trochanteric fractures when comparing the sliding hip screw (SHS) to the intramedullary nail (IMN). The outcomes used for comparison are major complications (in total, as well as nonunion and infection specifically), mortality rates, functional outcomes and patient-reported outcome measures (PROM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Search strings for the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Medline and Embase databases were developed with the help of a scientific librarian. Two authors screened the studies from the search string independently using Covidence.org and data extraction was performed similarly. Quality assessment was performed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomised trials (ROB2) for RCT studies, and Cochrane Risk of Bias in Non-Randomised Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) for non-RCT studies. Meta-analyses were performed using Log Risk Ratio as the primary effect estimate. RESULTS: Of the 2,051 studies screened by the two authors, six RCTs and six non-RCTs were included in this meta-analysis, with a total of 10,402 patients. The results indicated no significant differences in total major complications, nonunion, infection or mortality between SHS and IMN treatments for AO/OTA 31A1, 31A2 and 31A3 trochanteric fractures. Due to a lack of compatible data, we were unable to perform a meta-analysis on function scores and PROM. However, there are trends that favour IMN for 31A1 and 31A2 fractures. CONCLUSION: No significant difference between SHS and IMN was found in the meta-analysis in any of the examined AO/OTA fracture subtypes in terms of primary and secondary outcomes. When assessing function scores and PROM, we found trends favouring IMN for 31A1 and 31A2 fractures that should be explored further.

The ability of comorbidity indices to predict mortality in an orthopedic setting: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Several comorbidity indices have been created to estimate and adjust for the burden of comorbidity. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate and compare the ability of different comorbidity indices to predict mortality in an orthopedic setting. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library. The search were constructed around two primary focal points: a comorbidity index and orthopedics. The last search were performed on 13 June 2019. Eligibility criteria were participants with orthopedic conditions or who underwent an orthopedic procedure, a comparison between comorbidity indices that used administrative data, and reported mortality as outcome. Two independent reviewers screened the studies using Covidence. The area under the curve (AUC) was chosen as the primary effect estimate. RESULTS: Of the 5338 studies identified, 16 met the eligibility criteria. The predictive ability of the different comorbidity indices ranged from poor (AUC < 0.70) to excellent (AUC ≥ 0.90). The majority of the included studies compared the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). In-hospital mortality was reported in eight studies reporting AUC values ranging from 0.70 to 0.92 for ECI and 0.68 to 0.89 for CCI. AUC values were generally lower for all other time points ranging from 0.67 to 0.78. For 1-year mortality the overall effect size ranging from 0.67 to 0.77 for ECI and 0.69 to 0.77 for CCI. CONCLUSION: The results of this review indicate that the ECI and CCI can equally be used to adjust for comorbidities when analyzing mortality in an orthopedic setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this systematic review was registered on PROSPERO, the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews on 13 June 2019 and can be accessed through record ID 133,871.

Elevation of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels Following Intra-Articular Fractures-A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Intra-articular fractures are a major cause of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Despite adequate surgical treatment, the long-term risk for PTOA is high. Previous studies reported that joint injuries initiate an inflammatory cascade characterized by an elevation of synovial pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can lead to cartilage degradation and PTOA development. This review summarizes the literature on the post-injury regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the markers of cartilage destruction in patients suffering from intra-articular fractures. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases (1960-February 2020) and included studies that were performed on human participants, and we included control groups. Two investigators assessed the quality of the included studies using Covidence and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Based on the surveyed literature, several synovial pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukins (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12p70, interferon-y, and tumor necrosis factor-α, were significantly elevated in patients suffering from intra-articular fractures compared to the control groups. A simultaneous elevation of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and IL-1RA was also observed. In contrast, IL-13, CTX-II, and aggrecan concentrations did not differ significantly between the compared cohorts. Conclusions: Overall, intra-articular fractures are associated with an increase in inflammation-related synovial cytokines. However, more standardized studies which focus on the ratio of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines at different time points are needed.

Operative versus nonoperative treatment of humeral shaft fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The humeral shaft fracture accounts for 1%-3% of all fractures and occurs in both the young and old population. However, the optimal treatment is still a matter of debate. Even though nonoperative treatment is commonly considered the gold standard, advantages have been described using operative stabilization. This systematic review aims to compare operative and nonoperative treatment in adult patients with humeral shaft fractures. METHOD: We used the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL on October 1, 2018, searching for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. Two reviewers screened the studies using Covidence, followed by systematic data extraction. The primary outcome was defined as posttreatment complications such as nonunion, radial nerve palsy, malunion, and infections. The secondary outcomes were functional scores and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). To assess study quality, the risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions and the Cochrane risk of bias tool were used. RESULTS: Twelve studies were included: 1 RCT, 1 prospective cohort, and 10 retrospective cohorts with a total of 1406 patients, of whom 835 were treated operatively and 571 nonoperatively. Mean age ranged from 35 to 64, and 54% of the patients were male. The cohort studies had, in general, moderate bias, whereas the RCT had a low bias. There were statistically significant fewer nonunions in the operative treated group with a risk ratio of 0.49 (0.35-0.67), yielding a number needed to treat = 12. There were more deep infections in the operative group with a risk ratio of 2.76 (1.01-7.53) but otherwise no statistical differences concerning malunion or nerve damage. Only 1 study included PROM data. CONCLUSION: There were fewer nonunions in the operative group but more deep infections. Because of the lack of studies reporting PROMs, the potential positive effect of operative therapy in early aftercare could not be evaluated. Therefore, PROMs should be mandatory in future comparative studies.

The effect of a heel-unloading orthosis in short-term treatment of calcaneus fractures on physical function, quality of life and return to work - study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There are no standardized therapy guidelines for rehabilitation of calcaneus fractures. While there is consensus on non or partial weight-bearing, the use of supporting devices such as specific foot ankle orthosis is still a matter of debate. Recently, a heel-unloading orthosis ("Settner shoe") was introduced for aftercare of these fractures, allowing walking by shifting the load to the middle-foot and forefoot. This orthosis enables early mobilization of patients suffering from either one-sided or two-sided fractures. The Settner shoe can be applied in non-operative therapy and after surgery. Specifically in calcaneus fractures, early regain of physical activity has been highlighted as one of the key factors for quality of life and the ability to return to work. Thus, we hypothesize that mobilization with the Settner shoe results in improved quality of life and greater physical activity within the first 3 months. METHODS: This is going to be analyzed by a randomized controlled study comparing treatment with and without this specific orthosis. The secondary outcome measure is the time point of return to work in patients aged between 18 and 60 years, with calcaneus fracture. Furthermore, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, a 3-dimensional gait analysis, and the Euroqol-5 dimension-3 level (EQ-5D-3 L) questionnaire for quality of life are assessed. DISCUSSION: This is the first trial applying a standardized rehabilitation protocol in patients with calcaneus fractures, aiming to improve the non-operative part of treatment by use of an orthosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03572816 . Registered on 27 July 2018.

Tourniquet use in lower limb fracture surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tourniquets are commonly used in today's orthopaedic surgical practice, but little evidence is available regarding the links between the use of a tourniquet and the amount of post-operative pain and other complications. The aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing tourniquet versus non-tourniquet use during fracture surgery of the lower limb in adult patients. METHOD: A search was performed using the keyword "tourniquet" in EmBase and as a MeSH term in PubMed, and no limitations (including language) were applied. Available studies were screened using the Covidence software, and demographic as well as outcome data were extracted from the final studies. Critical appraisal was performed according to Cochrane Risk of Bias guidelines. Pooled data were assessed for heterogeneity using Chi-squared and I2 tests. RESULTS: Five studies were included, and no statistically significant difference was found in the amount of pain and post-operative complications between tourniquet and non-tourniquet groups. Length of in-hospital stay was longer in the tourniquet groups. An overall high risk of bias was found in the included studies. CONCLUSION: Although the validity and statistical strength of our results are not strong enough to suggest a change in practice in tourniquet use, the operating surgeon should still carefully consider his or her decision to use a tourniquet in lower limb fracture surgery, as there are indeed complications associated with it and no current evidence to support its continued use. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors: a potential target for regulation of proliferation and differentiation of an immortalized human neural stem cell line.

Human neural stem cells (NSCs) from the developing embryo or the subventricular zone of the adult brain can potentially elicit brain repair after injury or disease, either via endogenous cell proliferation or by cell transplantation. Profound knowledge of the diverse signals affecting these cells is, however, needed to realize their therapeutic potential. Glutamate and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) affect proliferation and survival of rodent NSCs both during embryonic and post-natal development. To investigate the role of group I mGluRs (mGluR1 and mGluR5) on human NSCs, we differentiated an immortalized, forebrain-derived stem cell line in the presence or absence of glutamate and with addition of either the group I mGluR agonist DHPG or the selective antagonists, MPEP (mGluR5) and LY367385 (mGluR1). Characterization of differentiated cells revealed that both mGluR1 and mGluR5 were present on the cells. Addition of glutamate to the growth medium significantly increased cell proliferation and reduced cell death, resulting in increased cell numbers. In the presence of glutamate, selective activation of group I mGluRs reduced gliogenesis, whereas selective inhibition of group I mGluRs reduced neurogenesis. Our results substantiate the importance of glutamate signalling in the regulation of human NSCs and may as such be applied to promote proliferation and neuronal differentiation.