Central sensitization inventory score after surgical treatment for distal radius fractures

Volar locking plate (VLP) fixation for distal radius fractures has relatively stable clinical outcomes. However, surgeons who assess postoperative outcomes as good may have difficulty fully understanding the perspectives of patients who express dissatisfaction. Central sensitization inventory (CSI) score is now thought to assess psychogenic pain. Therefore, clinical evaluation related to CSI score following volar locking plate fixation for distal radius fractures in this study.

Twenty-nine distal radius fracture patients (12 males and 17 females; mean age: 55.2 ± 15.9 years) treated with VLP were included. At final follow up before removal of volar locking plate, wrist joint range of motion (flexion, extension, pronation, and supination), grip strength (% of the healthy side), numerical rating scale (NRS), quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (Q-DASH) score, and CSI score were investigated. In addition, the association between each evaluation item and Q-DASH and CSI scores was analyzed using univariate analysis.

Wrist range of motion and grip strength were not associated with CSI score (flexion: P = 0.651, r = - 0.089; extension: P = 0.689, r = 0.079; pronation: P = 0.241, r = 0.229; supination: P = 0.864, r = 0.034; grip strength healthy side ratio: P = 0.582, r = - 0.109). On the other hand, NRS (P = 0.038, r = 0.393) and Q-DASH scores (P = 0.012, r = 0.469) were significantly associated with CSI scores.

This study suggested that after volar locking plate fixation (before plate removal), patient-reported outcomes (Q-DASH score and CSI score) were not associated with clinician-reported outcomes and impairment measure.