title: Accuracy of Ottawa ankle rules to exclude fractures of the ankle and mid-foot: systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarise the evidence on accuracy of the Ottawa ankle rules, a decision aid for excluding fractures of the ankle and mid-foot.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic databases, reference lists of included studies, and experts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were extracted on the study population, the type of Ottawa ankle rules used, and methods. Sensitivities, but not specificities, were pooled using the bootstrap after inspection of the receiver operating characteristics plot. Negative likelihood ratios were pooled for several subgroups, correcting for four main methodological threats to validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  32 studies met the inclusion criteria and 27 studies reporting on 15 581 patients were used for meta-analysis. The pooled negative likelihood ratios for the ankle and mid-foot were 0.08 (95% confidence interval 0.03 to 0.18) and 0.08 (0.03 to 0.20), respectively. The pooled negative likelihood ratio for both regions in children was 0.07 (0.03 to 0.18). Applying these ratios to a 15% prevalence of fracture gave a less than 1.4% probability of actual fracture in these subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence supports the Ottawa ankle rules as an accurate instrument for excluding fractures of the ankle and mid-foot. The instrument has a sensitivity of almost 100% and a modest specificity, and its use should reduce the number of unnecessary radiographs by 30-40%.
authors.affiliation: Horten Centre, Zurich University, Postfach Nord, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. lucas.bachmann@evimed.ch
authors.forename: Lucas M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kolb
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steurer
authors.forename: Gerben
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: ter Riet
mesh_terms: D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity