Trial reportJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2019
Below-elbow or above-elbow cast for conservative treatment of extra-articular distal radius fractures with dorsal displacement: a prospective randomized trial.
Trial report in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 19 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Below-elbow or Above-elbow Cast for Conservative Treatment of Extra-articular Distal Radius Fractures With Dorsal Displacement: a Prospective Randomized Trial
Below-Elbow Versus Initial Above-Elbow Casting After Closed Reduction of Distal Radius Fractures: 12-Week Isokinetic and 5-Year Functional Outcomes of a Prospective Randomized Trial
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of above elbow and below elbow immobilisation for conservative treatment of distal end radius fracture in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Chinese journal of traumatology = Zhonghua chuang shang za zhi · 2023Pooled it
- The Effect Immobilization Mechanisms Have on Radiographic Outcomes and Complication Rates in the Conservative Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures: A Systematic Review.Hand (New York, N.Y.) · 2022Pooled it
- Nonoperative treatment versus volar locking plate fixation for elderly patients with distal radial fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2020Pooled it
- Trial
- Short arm cast is as effective as long arm cast in maintaining distal radius fracture reduction: Results of the SLA-VER noninferiority trial.World journal of orthopedics · 2022Trial
- No benefit for elbow blocking on conservative treatment of distal radius fractures: A 6-month randomized controlled trial.PloS one · 2021Trial
- ESTES recommendations regarding distal radius fractures.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026Review
- Dorsoradial vs. circular cast for distal radius fractures: a retrospective comparative cohort study.Ulusal travma ve acil cerrahi dergisi = Turkish journal of trauma & emergency surgery : TJTES · 2025Article
- Research trends and hotspots of Colles fracture: a bibliometric analysis from 1980 to 2023.Frontiers in surgery · 2025Article
- Predictors of limited forearm rotation following conservative treatment of distal radius fractures: a retrospective comparative study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Article
- Radiological comparison of two immobilization methods in the non-surgical treatment of distal radius fractures in the elderly: Single sugar-tong splint shows similar efficacy to long-arm cast.Ulusal travma ve acil cerrahi dergisi = Turkish journal of trauma & emergency surgery : TJTES · 2024Article
- Comparison of the long-term outcomes of cast immobilization methods in distal radius fractures: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Ewha medical journal · 2024Article
- Radiographic and clinical outcomes of muenster and sugar tong splints for distal radius fractures: a comparative study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Article
- Review
- Comparison of Modified K-wire Fixation with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) for Unstable Colles Fracture in Elderly Patients.Orthopaedic surgery · 2023Article
- Improvement, Validation, and Analysis of Colles Fracture Treated with an Integrated Retainer Pad Splint.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2022Article
- Effect of different forearm positions on fragment rotation in extra-articular distal radius fractures: A cadaveric study.Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2021Article
- The CAST study protocol: a cluster randomized trial assessing the effect of circumferential casting versus plaster splinting on fracture redisplacement in reduced distal radius fractures in adults.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Article
- Application of 3D-Printed Orthopedic Cast for the Treatment of Forearm Fractures: Finite Element Analysis and Comparative Clinical Assessment.BioMed research international · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDistal radial fractures are common traumatic injuries, but their management remains controversial also in case of conservative treatment regarding the type of immobilisation. Hence, we conducted a two-arm, parallel-group, prospective randomised trial to compare the capacity of long casts (above-elbow) and short casts (below-elbow) to maintain the reduction of extra-articular distal radius fractures with dorsal displacement (AO/OTA classification: 2R3A2.2).
methodsSeventy-four eligible patients with AO/OTA 2R3A2.2 fractures treated with closed reduction and cast immobilisation were randomised to the long cast group (n°= 37) or to the short cast group (n°= 37). Baseline radiological parameters, radial inclination (RI), radial height (RH), ulnar variance (UV) and palmar tilt (PT) were taken, and compared with clinical (DASH, Mayo Wrist and Mayo Elbow) and radiological scores taken at 7-10 days, 4 weeks and 12 weeks. Furthermore, to evaluate correlations between radiological parameters and functional outcomes, patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not their radiological parameters at Follow-ups 2 and 3 were acceptable, i.e. within the range 11-12 mm for RH, 16°-28° for RI, - 4-+ 2 mm for UV and 0°-22° for PT.
resultsPatient demographic and baseline radiological parameters were similar between groups. At follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences between the two types of cast in terms of RI, RH, UV or PT, or Mayo wrist or DASH scores. Short cast group patients displayed better Mayo elbow score at follow-up 2 (4 weeks), but this difference was no longer statistically significant at follow-up 3 (12 weeks). No statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes were found between patients who presented acceptable radiographic parameters at follow-up and those who did not.
conclusionAs there were no significant differences between short casts and long casts in terms of fracture reduction maintenance or clinical outcomes, short casts are an effective method of post-reduction immobilisation in AO/OTA 2R3A2.2 fracture of the radius. Radiological parameters outside the range conventionally considered acceptable do not preclude a satisfactory clinical outcome.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov PRS, NCT04062110. Registred 20 August 2019.
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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.