A Comparison of Quality of Life Using Short Form 36 between Femoral Shaft Fracture and Tibia Shaft Fracture Treated with Antegrade Nailing

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We sought to compare the quality of life between two similar groups of patients; one group who sustained an isolated femoral shaft fracture, and the other group who sustained an isolated tibial shaft fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 1995 to July 2010, two groups of 168 patients who underwent implant removal operations after intramedullary nailing for an isolated femoral shaft fracture or an isolated tibial shaft fracture were enrolled. Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaires were completed at the final follow-up visit. Data analysis was performed by another physician not otherwise involved with clinical evaluation or the surgeries. RESULTS: Patients ranged in age from 18 to 37 years old. The two groups had similar characteristics, including age, gender ratio, body weight, smoking, and mean follow-up period (all p>0.05). No significant difference in functional outcome using SF-36 was observed between the groups except in the domain of physical functioning (PF) where femoral shaft fracture patients had a slightly higher score (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Femoral shaft fracture patients and tibial shaft fracture patients who underwent intramedullary nailing and subsequent implant removal after fracture union with similar epidemiological characteristics had similar functional outcomes using the SF-36 survey, except in the domain of PF, where femoral shaft fracture patients had a slightly better outcome.