Non-Surgically Treated Distal Radius Fractures in the Adult Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Distal radius fracture (DRF) is the most common upper extremity fracture, and cast immobilization is the most widely used treatment for DRF. However, prospective outcome data on conservatively treated DRF remain limited. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to report the pooled patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in adult patients with non-surgically treated DRFs. PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched. The primary outcome was to analyze PROMs at 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups. The secondary outcomes were to examine the pain, complication rate, and health-related quality of life. A total of 34 studies were included for analysis in this review. Non-surgically treated DRF patients aged ≥18 were included. At 3 months, the pooled mean of the patient-reported wrist evaluation was 31.0. At 12 months, the pooled mean was 10.8. The pooled mean of pain outcome measures was 2.6 at 3 months and 1.8 at 12 months. In conclusion, we found significant improvement in function between the 3-month and 12-month follow-ups in adult patients with non-surgically treated DRF. In addition, 17.9% of patients with non-surgically treated DRFs experience adverse events following treatment.