Do Surgeons Accurately Predict Level of Activity in Patients With Distal Radius Fractures?

Purpose: One factor influencing the management of distal radius fractures is the functional status of the patient. The purpose of this study was to assess the agreement between patient and surgeon assessments of patient activity level in patients sustaining a distal radius fracture.

Methods: Ninety-seven patients were included, with a mean age of 58.5 years (range, 18-92 years). Patients completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, a validated survey that provides a score of low, moderate, or high activity levels. Treating surgeons provided an independent assessment using the same scale. Agreement between patient and surgeon assessments was evaluated using a weighted kappa-statistic, with a secondary analysis using logistic regression models to assess odds of surgical treatment.

Results: Interrater agreement between surgeons and patients demonstrated only "fair" agreement, with a kappa-statistic of 0.33. Predictive models showed that surgeons accurately identified 73% of "high activity" patients but failed to correctly identify more than 41% of patients rated as "moderate activity" or "low activity." There was a correlation between surgical intervention and increasing physical activity status as assessed by the surgeon; however, the magnitude of this effect was unclear (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-4.30). This relationship was no longer significant after adjusting for age, Charlson comorbidity index, and fracture class. There was no association between surgical intervention and physical activity status when using the status provided by the patient.

Conclusions: Surgeon assessment of patient activity level does not have strong agreement with patients' independent assessment. Surgeons are most accurate at identifying "high activity level" patients but lack the ability to identify "moderate activity level" or "low activity level" patients.

Clinical Relevance: Recognition of surgeon assessment of patient activity level as flawed can stimulate improved dialog between patients and physicians, ultimately improving the shared decision-making process.