SynthesisJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2020
Nonoperative treatment versus volar locking plate fixation for elderly patients with distal radial fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 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
17 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Operative management of displaced fractures of the distal radius is associated with improved function but not in older adults : systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Bone & joint open · 2025Pooled it
- Surgical Treatment of Periarticular Distal Radius Fracture in Elderly: A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Pooled it
- 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 Efficacy of Teriparatide in Improving Fracture Healing in Hip Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.BioMed research international · 2020Pooled it
- VOLCON: a randomized controlled trial investigating complications and functional outcome of volar plating vs casting of unstable distal radius fractures in patients older than 65 years.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2022Trial
- Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis and Functional Outcomes After Volar Plating vs. Casting of Unstable Distal Radius Fractures: A Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up of the VOLCON Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Surgical vs. Conservative Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures in the Elderly: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Cureus · 2024Review
- [Conservative fracture treatment in old people].Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie · 2024Article
- Current Management and Volar Locking Plate Fixation with Bone Cement Augmentation for Elderly Distal Radius Fractures-An Updated Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- Does access through the pronator quadratus influence pronation strength in palmar plate fixation of distal radius fractures in elderly patients?Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2023Article
- Association of Open Reduction and Internal Fixation With Volar Locking Plate for Distal Radius Fractures With Patient-Reported Outcomes in Older Adults: A Network Meta-analysis.JAMA network open · 2023Article
- Residual dorsal displacement following surgery in distal radial fractures: A cause for trouble?European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2023Article
- Prospective Evaluation of Two Cohorts of Non-Operatively Treated Patients with Displaced vs. Minimally and Non-Displaced Distal Radius Fractures.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Perioperative Morbidities in Distal Radius Fractures Treated Using Locking Plates in the Super-Elderly Population: A Retrospective Study.Journal of hand surgery global online · 2023Article
- Effectiveness and Safety of Different Treatment Modalities for Patients Older Than 60 Years with Distal Radius Fracture: A Network Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Review
- Forearm bone mineral density as a predictor of reduction loss in distal radius fractures treated with cast immobilization.Frontiers in surgery · 2022Article
- Objective Outcome Measures Continue to Improve from 6 to 12 Months after Conservatively Treated Distal Radius Fractures in the Elderly-A Prospective Evaluation of 50 Patients.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Article
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 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the role of nonoperative treatment and volar locking plate (VLP) fixation in elderly patients with distal radial fracture.
methodsThe systematic literature review identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies using VLP and nonoperative treatment for distal radial fractures in the elderly. Two investigators independently extracted data and evaluated the quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was performed using RevMan version 5.3.
resultsThe five RCTs and six observational studies included 585 and 604 patients in the VLP and nonoperation groups, respectively. The quality of these 11 studies was moderate. Compared to nonoperation treatment, VLP did not improve the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.58--0.24; P = 0.09), decrease complications (odds ratio = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.51-2.19; P = 0.89), or improve range of motion in flexion, extension, pronation, supination, and radial deviation. The VLP group had better grip strength (WMD = 10.52; 95% CI, 6.19-14.86; P < 0.0001) and radiographic assessment than the nonoperation group.
conclusionsAlthough insufficient, the study evidence shows that VLP does not improve DASH scores, complications, or range of motion, but it might provide better grip strength and radiographic assessment than nonoperation treatment.
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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.