title: Prospective study of recurrent radial head subluxation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To calculate a recurrence rate for radial head subluxation (RHS) and to identify risk factors for recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric emergency department of an urban, tertiary care children's hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive sample of 107 children younger than 6 years with definite (n = 94) or probable (n = 13) RHS enrolled during a 6-month period and followed up for at least 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recurrent episodes of RHS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up information was available on 86.9% (93/107) patients, with a mean +/- SD of 16.4 +/- 1.9 months (range, 12 to 20 months). Of these 93 patients, 22 (23.7%) had recurrent RHS. Among the patients who had their first episode of RHS during the study period (n = 76), those with recurrences were significantly younger than those without (21.7 +/- 9.9 months vs 29.2 +/- 13.5 months, respectively, P = .04, t test). Those 24 months or younger had a relative risk of 2.60 for one or more recurrences during the study period (95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 6.30) compared with those older than 24 months. No differences were observed in duration of follow-up, sex, elbow involved in the initial episode, or family history of RHS between those with and without recurrences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recurrent RHS occurs in nearly one fourth of patients, and those 24 months or younger are at greatest risk. Sex, family history, and the elbow involved in the initial episode are not risk factors for recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Teach
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schutzman
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004551:Elbow Joint; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D004204:Joint Dislocations; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011884:Radius; D012008:Recurrence; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors