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Trauma: E. J. Strauss, J. B. Frank, M. Walsh, K. J. Koval, and K. A. Egol Does obesity influence the outcome after the operative treatment of ankle fractures? J Bone Joint Surg Br 2007; 89-B: 794-798 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Does obesity influence the outcome after the operative treatment of ankle fractures?

Julian P Cooper   (2 August 2007)

Does obesity influence the outcome after the operative treatment of ankle fractures? 2 August 2007
Julian P Cooper, Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Send letter to journal: Re: Does obesity influence the outcome after the operative treatment of ankle fractures? julian{at}cooperfrcs.fsnet.co.uk Julian P Cooper	Sir, I read this paper with interest the paper and I must confess to puzzlement over the results of statistical analysis presented in Table I. Three of the four characteristics analysed are 2 x 2 contingency tables and the remaining one (OTA classification distribution) a 3 x 2 table. The authors state that they used unpaired Student t-tests and Fisher's exact test for comparisons between the groups, the latter being the appropriate test for analysis of such tables. Fisher's exact test produces one p-value for each contingency table analysed, however, Table I in the paper reports a p-value for each row. Furthermore, the quoted highly significant p-values for Type B and C (both p < 0.001) seem unlikely when the percentages (76.8% versus 70.0% and 22.2% versus 18.9%, respectively) are similar. I would be grateful if the authors could explain these inconsistencies. J. Cooper BSc FRCS(Tr&Orth), Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, UK.