• Elisabeth Brogren, Philippe Wagner, Michael Petranek, and Isam Atroshi.
• Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. elisabeth.brogren@med.lu.se
• Clin. Orthop. Relat. Res. 2013 May 1; 471 (5): 1691-7.

BackgroundStudies concerning the relationship between distal radius fracture malunion and a persistent arm-related disability have produced conflicting results.Questions/PurposesWe investigated (1) how arm-related disability changes during the first 2 years after a fracture and (2) whether fracture malunion causes persistent disability.MethodsOne hundred twenty-three patients with distal radius fractures, treated with closed reduction and casts or external or percutaneous pin fixations, completed the DASH questionnaire at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after fracture. Radiographic measurements were made at 1 year. Using a definition of malunion as ulnar variance of 1 mm or more and dorsal tilt greater than 10°, the patients were classified into three groups: no malunion (n = 35), malunion involving either ulnar variance or dorsal tilt (n = 65), and malunion involving ulnar variance and dorsal tilt (n = 23). The changes in the DASH scores with time (baseline to 2 years), in relation to malunion, were analyzed using generalized estimating equations adjusted for age, sex, fracture type (extraarticular or intraarticular), and treatment method.ResultsThe mean change in DASH scores from baseline to 2 years was worse for patients with malunions involving ulnar variance and dorsal tilt than for patients with no malunions (mean difference, 13; 95% CI, 1.4-25) and for patients with malunions involving either ulnar variance or dorsal tilt (mean difference, 13; 95% CI, 2.2-24).ConclusionAfter distal radius fracture, arm-related disabilities are more likely to persist at least 2 years in patients with fractures that healed with shortening and dorsal angulation than in patients with only shortening or dorsal angulation or without malunion.

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