Table 1.
Group characteristics
| Variable | Simple group (isolated radial head fractures) (n = 31) | Complex group (radial head fractures with associated complex injury patterns) (n = 20) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years)* | 40 (11) | 50 (9) | 0.002¶ |
| Sex (number of females:males) | 14:17 | 10:10 | |
| BMI* | 28 (4) | 28 (7) | 0.76¶ |
| SF-12 mental component summary (points)* | 56 (7) | 55 (9) | 0.78¶ |
| SF-12 physical component summary (points)* | 46 (7) | 45 (10) | 0.72¶ |
| CESD (points)* | 0.5 (2.0) | 0.85 (1.9) | 0.59# |
| Heavy-labor occupation (%)† | 55 | 55 | 1.0# |
| Weightbearing and/or contact sports (%)‡ | 68 | 65 | 1.0# |
| Complete articular fractures (%) | 13 | 20 | 1.0# |
| Three or more fragments (%) | 16 | 35 | 0.18# |
| Broberg-Morrey classification (%)§ | III: 16 II: 84 |
II: 65 III: 15 IV: 20 |
0.004** |
| High-energy injury (%)∥ | 52 | 80 | 0.07# |
* Values are expressed as mean, with SD in parentheses; †occupation involving at least 15-kg lifting; ‡sports/recreation involving upper-extremity weightbearing (ie, golf, basketball, volleyball); §I = displaced < 2 mm; II= displaced >2 mm, involving > 30% of head; III = comminuted; IV = associated with dislocation; ∥fall from > 2 feet (61 cm), fall during sport participation, motor vehicle collision; ¶unpaired t-test; #Fisher’s exact test; **Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test; CESD = Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.