Clinical predictors of forearm fracture in children

This study was undertaken to try to define the best clinical predictors of forearm fractures in children aged 3 to 15 years. Over an 8-month period, 136 children attending the Accident and Emergency Department of the Mater Infirmorum Hospital were enrolled in the study and 67 fractures were diagnosed. Gross deformity, point tenderness and decrease in supination and pronation movements of the forearm were the best predictors of bony injury. Gross deformity was obviously the most predictive with a sensitivity of 95%. The risk ratios for moderate to severe point tenderness and decrease in rotatory movements were 3.4 and 3.2 respectively.