Table 2.
Predictors of Fracture Nonunion in Those With Lower Extremity Fractures
| Predictors | Univariate | Multivariate |
|---|---|---|
| OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | |
| Clinical characteristics | ||
| Age (≥50 versus <50 years) | 2.23 (1.23–4.08) | 2.29 (1.21–4.33) |
| Race | ||
| Black versus white | 0.87 (0.51–1.48) | 0.95 (0.54–1.67) |
| Other versus white | 1.72 (0.63–4.73) | 1.63 (0.55–4.84) |
| Sex (female versus male) | 1.65 (0.75–3.59) | 1.99 (0.82–4.88) |
| BMI (normal versus underweight) | 2.66 (0.72–9.75) | 2.51 (0.69–9.10) |
| BMI (overweight versus underweight) | 2.65 (0.72–9.74) | 2.58 (0.71–9.44) |
| BMI (obese versus underweight) | 3.49 (0.94–12.93) | 3.68 (0.99–13.74) |
| Diabetes mellitus (yes versus no) | 1.23 (0.80–1.91) | 0.90 (0.55–1.48) |
| Chronic kidney disease (yes versus no) | 1.08 (0.52–2.23) | 1.00 (0.46–2.17) |
| Peripheral vascular disease (yes versus no) | 1.34 (0.76–2.34) | 1.02 (0.56–1.86) |
| Anticonvulsants (yes versus no) | 1.16 (0.78–1.71) | 1.09 (0.69–1.73) |
| Benzodiazepines (yes versus no) | 1.19 (0.80–1.75) | 1.05 (0.68–1.62) |
| Opioids (yes versus no) | 1.01 (0.66–1.54) | 1.05 (0.64–1.71) |
| Antidepressants (yes versus no) | 1.03 (0.70–1.53) | 0.84 (0.53–1.34) |
| Anticoagulants (yes versus no) | 1.60 (1.00–2.56) | 1.46 (0.88–2.42) |
| Corticosteroids (yes versus no) | 1.03 (0.58–1.83) | 0.95 (0.52–1.74) |
| Bisphosphonates (yes versus no) | 1.91 (1.10–3.31) | 1.46 (0.80–2.66) |
| SCID‐related characteristics | ||
| Etiology (nontraumatic versus traumatic) | 0.89 (0.56–1.41) | 1.00 (0.59–1.70) |
| SCI level (tetraplegia versus paraplegia) | 0.74 (0.49–1.11) | 0.91 (0.59–1.40) |
| SCI extent (incomplete versus complete) | 0.79 (0.52–1.20) | 1.05 (0.51–2.15) |
| ASIA Impairment Scale | ||
| B versus A | 0.85 (0.40–1.83) | 1.23 (0.44–3.45) |
| C versus A | 1.21 (0.61–2.41) | 1.50 (0.55–4.06) |
| D versus A | 0.46 (0.21–1.02) | 0.74 (0.26–2.10) |
| Missing versus A | 0.61 (0.39–0.95) | 0.75 (0.42–1.33) |
| Duration of SCID | 1.02 (1.00–1.03) | 1.02 (1.00–1.04) |
| Fracture‐related characteristics | ||
| Primary fracture treatment (operative versus nonoperative) | 1.47 (0.82–2.62) | 1.91 (1.02–3.57) |
| Fracture site | ||
| Distal tibia/fibula versus distal femur | 0.13 (0.08–0.21) | 0.14 (0.09–0.24) |
| Proximal tibia/fibula versus distal femur | 0.18 (0.09–0.36) | 0.19 (0.09–0.38) |
| Proximal femur versus distal femur | 0.09 (0.04–0.21) | 0.10 (0.04–0.21) |
| Hip versus distal femur | 0.14 (0.07–0.26) | 0.13 (0.07–0.26) |
| Type of fracture (open versus closed) a | 1.78 (0.57–5.55) | 2.23 (0.67–7.43) |
Note: Bolded odds ratio estimates and confidence intervals indicate the result was significant at the 0.05 level.
BMI = body mass index; SCID = spinal cord injuries and disorders; ASIA = American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale.
a
In the analyses detailed in this table, the 7 fractures that had unknown type (open versus closed), all of which came from those fractures resulting in nonunion, were assumed to be closed fractures.