Association of Radiological Parameters to Functional Outcomes after Distal Radius Fracture Fixation with Volar...

Distal radius fractures are among the most common orthopaedic injuries, and volar locking plate fixation is a widely used surgical method. The restoration of radiological parameters post-operatively is believed to be associated with reliable functional recovery. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between radiological parameters and functional outcomes following distal radius fracture fixation.

This prospective cohort study included patients with distal radius fractures treated with volar locking plates. Radiological parameters, including volar tilt, radial inclination, radial height, and ulnar variance, were assessed post-operatively. Functional outcomes were measured using the Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation score at predefined follow-up intervals. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between radiological restoration and clinical outcomes. Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to assess the relationship between the outcome variable and predictor variables. Simple linear regression was initially performed with a significance threshold of 25%, followed by stepwise multiple linear regression using a 5% significance level.

A total of 78 patients (56.4% male, 43.6% female) with a mean age of 50.3 ± 14.7 years were included. Most patients sustained partial or complete intra-articular distal radius fractures. The mean cumulative PRWE score at 3 months was 42.4 ± 6.6, with mean pain and function sub-scores of 21.24 and 21.34, respectively. The study findings showed that increased age and ulnar variance were significantly associated with worse PRWE scores while greater palmar tilt was associated with better outcomes. Radial height and radial inclination were not significantly correlated with functional scores.

Understanding the relationship between radiological alignment and functional outcomes can aid in optimising surgical techniques and improving patient recovery.