• M M E Wijffels, J Keizer, G A Buijze, Y Zenke, P Krijnen, N W L Schep, and I B Schipper.
• Department of Surgery-Traumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. Electronic address: M.M.E.Wijffels@lumc.nl.
• Injury. 2014 Dec 1;45(12):1889-95.

PurposeThere is no consensus on the relation between ulnar styloid process nonunion and outcome in patients with distal radius fractures. The aim of this study was to analyze whether patient-reported outcome is influenced by the nonunion of the accompanying ulnar styloid fracture in distal radius fracture patients.MethodsA meta-analysis of published studies comparing outcomes after distal radius fractures with a united versus a non-united ulnar styloid process was performed. In addition, if provided by the authors, the raw data of these studies were pooled and analysed as one study. The outcome measures of the analyses included patient-reported outcome, functional outcome, grip-strength, pain, and distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability.ResultsData from six comparative studies were included, concerning 365 patients with a distal radius fracture. One hundred and thirty-five patients with an ulnar styloid union were compared with 230 patients with a nonunion of the ulnar styloid. No significant differences were found between groups regarding any outcome measure.ConclusionBased on this meta-analysis, there is no relation between the nonunion of the ulnar styloid process and function in patients with a distal radius fracture.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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