Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32675679›Full record

SynthesisThe Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume2020

Volar Locked Plating Versus Closed Reduction and Casting for Acute, Displaced Distal Radial Fractures in the Elderly: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Andrew R Stephens, Angela P Presson, Mary M McFarland, Chong Zhang, Kai Sirniö, Marjolein A M Mulders, Niels W L Schep, Andrew R Tyser, Nikolas H Kazmers

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Andrew R StephensDivision of Public Health (A.P.P. and C.Z.), Eccles Health Sciences Library (M.M.M.), Department of Orthopaedics (A.R.T. and N.H.K.), and School of Medicine (A.R.S.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.ORCID 0000-0003-3877-7723
Angela P PressonDivision of Public Health (A.P.P. and C.Z.), Eccles Health Sciences Library (M.M.M.), Department of Orthopaedics (A.R.T. and N.H.K.), and School of Medicine (A.R.S.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.ORCID 0000-0001-7400-3923
Mary M McFarlandDivision of Public Health (A.P.P. and C.Z.), Eccles Health Sciences Library (M.M.M.), Department of Orthopaedics (A.R.T. and N.H.K.), and School of Medicine (A.R.S.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.ORCID 0000-0002-9062-2393
Chong ZhangDivision of Public Health (A.P.P. and C.Z.), Eccles Health Sciences Library (M.M.M.), Department of Orthopaedics (A.R.T. and N.H.K.), and School of Medicine (A.R.S.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.ORCID 0000-0002-5014-4331
Kai SirniöDivision of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-4018-4022
Marjolein A M MuldersTrauma Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0575-0447
Niels W L SchepDepartment of Hand and Trauma Surgery, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-6475-7286
Andrew R TyserDivision of Public Health (A.P.P. and C.Z.), Eccles Health Sciences Library (M.M.M.), Department of Orthopaedics (A.R.T. and N.H.K.), and School of Medicine (A.R.S.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.ORCID 0000-0003-1580-1428
Nikolas H KazmersDivision of Public Health (A.P.P. and C.Z.), Eccles Health Sciences Library (M.M.M.), Department of Orthopaedics (A.R.T. and N.H.K.), and School of Medicine (A.R.S.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.ORCID 0000-0002-3685-1662

Funding

Utah Center for Clinical and Translational ScienceUL1TR002538 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI HESS, RACHEL, MAJERSIK, JENNIFER JUHL · 2018 to 2022
$26.0M
University of Utah Center for Clinical and Translational ScienceUL1TR001067 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI DERE, WILLARD H., HESS, RACHEL · 2013 to 2017
$19.8M
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH CENTER FOR CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE-UL1: BPCAUL1RR025764 · NCRR · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI MCCLAIN, DONALD A. · 2008 to 2011
$19.4M
University of Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science-UL1UL1TR000105 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI MCCLAIN, DONALD A. · 2012 to 2013
$5.1M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR000105NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001067NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002538NCRR NIH HHS UL1 RR025764
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIt remains unclear whether volar locked plating (VLP) yields a better functional outcome than closed reduction and casting (CRC) for elderly patients with an acute, displaced distal radial fracture. Our purpose was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing outcomes of VLP and CRC for elderly patients (age, ≥60 years).

methodsMultiple databases, including MEDLINE, were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating outcomes following distal radial fracture treatment. Raw data were obtained for studies that included patients of all ages, and the elderly subgroup was included for analysis. The primary outcome was the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score at ≥1 year of follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the 3-month DASH score, range of motion, final radiographic alignment, and complications. Effect sizes for the comparison of each outcome between groups were pooled across studies using random-effects models with the inverse variance weighting method. Changes in DASH score were compared with a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) estimate of 10 to assess clinical relevance.

resultsOf 2,152 screened articles, 6 were included. Demographics were similar for the 274 VLP and 287 CRC patients. DASH scores were significantly better following VLP than CRC at the time of final follow-up (12 to 24 months postoperatively; score difference, -5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], -8.7 to -3.1) and at 3 months (-8.9; 95% CI, -13.0 to -4.8). VLP yielded significantly better palmar tilt, radial inclination, and supination, with no differences in ulnar variance, flexion-extension, pronation, or total complication rates.

conclusionsFunctional outcome was significantly better following VLP than CRC 3 months into the treatment of acute, displaced distal radial fractures in an elderly population and up to 2 years after injury. However, the observed differences in the final DASH score did not exceed published estimates of the MCID, suggesting that clinical outcomes are similar for both treatment options. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Indexed as

Bone PlatesAgedFracture Fixation, InternalHumansRadius FracturesRandomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Identifiers

PMID32675679
PMCPMC7431141

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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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.