Use of both Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment questionnaire and Short Form-36 among tibial-fracture patients was redundant.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Dysfunction Index (SMFA DI) and the Short Form-36 Physical Component Summary (SF-36 PCS) scores among patients undergoing operative management of tibial fractures.


METHODS
Between July 2000 and September 2005, we enrolled 1,319 skeletally mature patients with open or closed fractures of the tibial shaft that were managed with intramedullary nailing. Patients were asked to complete the SMFA Questionnaire and SF-36 at discharge and 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgical fixation.


RESULTS
The SMFA DI and SF-36 PCS scores were highly correlated at 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgical fixation. The difference in the mean standardized change scores for SMFA DI and SF-36 PCS, from 3 to 12 months post-surgical fixation, was not statistically significant. Both the SMFA DI and SF-36 PCS scores were able to discriminate between healed and nonhealed tibial fractures at 3, 6, and 12 months postsurgery.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with tibial-shaft fractures, the SMFA DI offered no significant advantages over the SF-36 PCS score. These results, along with the usefulness of SF-36 for comparing populations, recommend the SF-36 for assessing physical function in studies of patients with tibial fractures.
Institute for Work & Health, 481 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. jbusse@iwh.on.ca
Jason W
JW
Busse
Mohit
M
Bhandari
Gordon H
GH
Guyatt
Diane
D
Heels-Ansdell
Scott
S
Mandel
David
D
Sanders
Emil
E
Schemitsch
Marc
M
Swiontkowski
Paul
P
Tornetta
Eugene
E
Wai
Stephen D
SD
Walter
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000175:diagnosis; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult