SynthesisActa orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica2018
Is volar locking plate superior to external fixation for distal radius fractures? A comprehensive meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of clinical outcomes of hydrofiber and standard dressings in postoperative knee and hip arthroplasty wounds: a comprehensive meta-analysis.Frontiers in surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Comparison of treatment results between surgical and conservative treatment of distal radius fractures in adults: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2021Pooled it
- What Is the Relative Effectiveness of the Various Surgical Treatment Options for Distal Radius Fractures? A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Clinical orthopaedics and related research · 2021Pooled it
- Intramedullary versus extramedullary fixation in the treatment of subtrochanteric femur fractures: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2020Pooled it
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Following Distal Radius Fracture: Does Surgical Method Matter?Journal of wrist surgery · 2025Article
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- Are external fixators as effective as volar plates in multi-fragmented radius distal intra-articular fractures (AO type C)?European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2023Article
- Outcomes of the Management of Distal Radius Fractures in the Last 5 Years: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2022Article
- Good functional recovery after bilateral elbow dislocation associated with bilateral distal radius and ulna fractures.Clinical case reports · 2022Article
- Classification and Visualisation of Normal and Abnormal Radiographs; A Comparison between Eleven Convolutional Neural Network Architectures.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- The "AIIMS hairpin loop" technique for 'extreme' volar rim fractures of distal radius.Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma · 2021Article
- The external fixation can be a good alternative to plate-screw treatment in the surgical treatment of bilateral distal radius fractures: A retrospective cohort study.Joint diseases and related surgery · 2021Article
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThe aim of this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and retrospective cohort studies (CS) regarding the use of volar locking plate (VLP) and external fixation (EF) in distal radius fractures was to determine whether there was any evidence that one treatment was superior to the other.
methodsThe meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electrical databases (PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane library) were retrieved to find RCTs and CSs met the eligibility criteria. Two reviewers screened the studies, extracted the data and evaluated the methodological quality, and performed data analysis with RevMan 5.1. The publication bias was test by Stata 14.0. The Begg's and Egger's test were performed by Stata 14.0. The quality of evidence was graded according to the criteria of GRADE. We ultimately included ten RCTs and eleven CSs.
resultsA total of 1590 subjects were reported. Publication bias was detected by funnel plot in RCTs. VLP could provide better results such as DASH scores (RCT: MD = -6.12, 95%CI = -12.07-0.17; CS: MD = -6.43, 95%CI = -12.53-0.3), ulnar variance (RCT: MD = -0.81, 95%CI = -1.25-0.37) and infection rate (RCT: RR = 0.25, 95%CI = 0.10-0.65; CS: RR = 0.15, 95%CI = 0.06-0.40). There were no significant differences for G-W scores, VAS and grip strength between the VLP group and EF group. There was significantly greater loss of volar tilt (P = 0.01) and radial inclination (P = 0.02) in patients receiving EF, basing on the CSs.
conclusionsVLP could provide better results, such as DASH scores, ulnar variance, volar tilt, radial inclination and infection rate. The use of VLP appear to be associated with better results of ROM (flexion, pronation, supination and radial deviation), radiographic parameters (volar tilt and radial inclination) and lower total complication rate and CRPS rate in CSs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1, Therapeutic study.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.