title: Predicting need for fixation of atypical femoral fracture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Predictors of the requirement for fixation have not been reported in incomplete atypical femoral fractures. The clinical features of incomplete atypical femoral fractures should be reviewed to predict the requirement for surgical intervention in this condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purposes were (1) to evaluate the clinical results of incomplete atypical femoral fracture and (2) to determine the factors associated with the requirement for fixation in incomplete atypical femoral fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 51 patients with a total of 65 incomplete atypical femoral fractures from 3 tertiary referral centers. Minimum follow-up was 12 months (mean, 19.8 months; range, 12-82 months).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study consisted of fixation-requiring and non-fixation-requiring groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main outcome measure was the requirement for fixation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one (47.7 %) hips required internal fixation. Cox regression analysis showed that the subtrochanteric location was significantly associated with the requirement for fixation (hazard ratio, 2.713; 95% confidence interval, 1.189-6.189).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About one-half of incomplete atypical femur fractures required surgical intervention, and subtrochanteric involvement could be used as a predictor of the requirement for fixation in these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si 463-707, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Kyun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong-Chan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Bun Jung
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jae Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kyung-Hoi
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Koo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers