Distal Radius Interventions for Fracture Treatment (DRIFT) trial: study protocol for a multicentre randomised clinical trial of completely translated distal radius fractures at paediatric hospitals in North America

Journal article

Introduction: Distal radius fractures are the most common fractures seen in the emergency department in children in the USA. However, no established or standardised guidelines exist for the optimal management of completely displaced fractures in younger children. The proposed multicentre randomised trial will compare functional outcomes between children treated with fracture reduction under sedation versus children treated with simple immobilisation. Methods and analysis: Participants aged 4–10 years presenting to the emergency department with 100% dorsally translated metaphyseal fractures of the radius less than 5 cm from the distal radial physis will be recruited for the study. Those patients with open fractures, other ipsilateral arm fractures (excluding ulna), pathologic fractures, bone diseases, or neuromuscular or metabolic conditions will be excluded. Participants who agree to enrol in the trial will be randomly assigned via a minimal sufficient balance algorithm to either sedated reduction or in situ immobilisation. A sample size of 167 participants per arm will provide at least 90% power to detect a difference in the primary outcome of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity computer adaptive test scores of 4 points at 1 year from treatment. Primary analyses will employ a linear mixed model to estimate the treatment effect at 1 year. Secondary outcomes include additional measures of perceived pain, complications, radiographic angulation, satisfaction and additional procedures (revisions, refractures, reductions and reoperations). Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval was obtained from the following local Institutional Review Boards: Advarra, serving as the single Institutional Review Board, approved the study (Pro00062090) in April 2022. The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON, Canada) did not rely on Advarra and received separate approval from their local Research Ethics Board (REB; REB number: 1000079992) on 19 July 2023. Results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conference meetings. Trial registration number: NCT05131685.

Authors: Balmert Bonner, L; Janicki, J; Georgiadis, A; Truong, W; Harris Beauvais, D

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Journal: BMJ Open
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 10
• Pages: e088273
• Article number: bmjopen-2024-088273
• Publication date: 2025-10-29
• Acceptance date: 2025-07-24
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088273
• EISSN: 2044-6055
• ISSN: 2044-6055
• Language: English
• Keywords: ORTHOPAEDIC & TRAUMA SURGERY; Randomized Controlled Trial; Paediatric orthopaedics; Clinical Trial