2018 COA Annual Meeting: Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating Ketotifen Fumarate in Reduction of Posttraumatic Elbow Joint Contracture

152 patients with an elbow dislocation, distal humerus fracture or proximal radius fracture, with or without concomitant ulna fracture, were randomized to either oral ketotifen fumarate or lactose placebo. Patients were assessed at 12 weeks post-injury for elbow range of motion in flexion-extension, the Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, incidence of complications, and incidence of union. Overall, no significant differences between groups were noted for any of the assessed outcomes. When operatiely managed patients and nonoperatively managed patients were compared irrespective of group allocation, patients treated operatively demonstrated significantly greater reduction in elbow extension at 12 weeks.