Sharri J Mortensen1, Sebastian Orman2, Ara Nazarian3,4,5, Arvind G von Keudell6,4, Edward J Testa2, Amin Mohamadi3. 1. Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, RN115, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. Sharri.j.mortensen@gmail.com. 2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. 3. Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, RN115, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. 4. Harvard Orthopaedic Trauma Initiative, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan, Armenia. 6. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is often difficult to diagnose in pediatric patients due to their erratic symptomatology. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to identify at-risk patients to facilitate a prompt diagnosis. This study aims to identify risk factors for the development of ACS in the pediatric population. METHODS: We included studies comprised of pediatric patients with traumatic ACS. We excluded studies evaluating compartment syndrome secondary to exertion, vascular insult, abdominal processes, burns, and snake bites. Heterogeneity was addressed by subgroup analysis, and whenever it remained significant, we utilized a random-effects meta-analysis for data pooling. The protocol has been registered at PROSPERO (ID = CRD42019126603). RESULTS: We included nine studies with 380,411 patients, of which 1144 patients were diagnosed with traumatic ACS. The average age was 10 years old, and 67% of patients were male. Factors that were significantly associated with ACS were: open radius/ulna fractures (OR 3.56 CI 1.52-8.33, p = 0.003), high-energy trauma (OR 3.51 CI 1.71-7.21, p = 0.001), humerus fractures occurring concurrently with forearm fractures (OR 3.49 CI 1.87-6.52, p < 0.001), open tibia fractures (OR 2.29 CI 1.47-3.55, p < 0.001), and male gender (OR 2.06 CI 1.70-2.51, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In the present study, open fractures, high-energy trauma, concurrent humerus and forearm fractures, and male gender significantly increased the risk of developing ACS in the pediatric population. Clinicians should raise their suspicion for ACS when one or multiple of these factors are present in the right clinical context. TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic review and meta-analysis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.
PURPOSE: Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is often difficult to diagnose in pediatric patients due to their erratic symptomatology. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to identify at-risk patients to facilitate a prompt diagnosis. This study aims to identify risk factors for the development of ACS in the pediatric population. METHODS: We included studies comprised of pediatric patients with traumatic ACS. We excluded studies evaluating compartment syndrome secondary to exertion, vascular insult, abdominal processes, burns, and snake bites. Heterogeneity was addressed by subgroup analysis, and whenever it remained significant, we utilized a random-effects meta-analysis for data pooling. The protocol has been registered at PROSPERO (ID = CRD42019126603). RESULTS: We included nine studies with 380,411 patients, of which 1144 patients were diagnosed with traumatic ACS. The average age was 10 years old, and 67% of patients were male. Factors that were significantly associated with ACS were: open radius/ulna fractures (OR 3.56 CI 1.52-8.33, p = 0.003), high-energy trauma (OR 3.51 CI 1.71-7.21, p = 0.001), humerus fractures occurring concurrently with forearm fractures (OR 3.49 CI 1.87-6.52, p < 0.001), open tibia fractures (OR 2.29 CI 1.47-3.55, p < 0.001), and male gender (OR 2.06 CI 1.70-2.51, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In the present study, open fractures, high-energy trauma, concurrent humerus and forearm fractures, and male gender significantly increased the risk of developing ACS in the pediatric population. Clinicians should raise their suspicion for ACS when one or multiple of these factors are present in the right clinical context. TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic review and meta-analysis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.
Authors: Brian Hutton; Georgia Salanti; Deborah M Caldwell; Anna Chaimani; Christopher H Schmid; Chris Cameron; John P A Ioannidis; Sharon Straus; Kristian Thorlund; Jeroen P Jansen; Cynthia Mulrow; Ferrán Catalá-López; Peter C Gøtzsche; Kay Dickersin; Isabelle Boutron; Douglas G Altman; David Moher Journal: Ann Intern Med Date: 2015-06-02 Impact factor: 25.391