ArticleCureus2025
A Comparative Study of Functional Outcomes Between Conservative Management and Volar Locking Plate Fixation in Extra-articular Distal Radius Fractures.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background Fractures of the distal radius are among the most common upper limb injuries. Management options range from closed reduction with casting to open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using volar locking plates. The optimal treatment approach for extra-articular fractures remains debated. Objective The objective of this study was to compare functional and radiological outcomes between conservative treatment and volar locking plate fixation in extra-articular distal radius fractures. Methods A prospective comparative cohort study was conducted on 60 patients with extra-articular distal radius fractures, allocated into two equal groups: Group A underwent closed reduction with plaster immobilization, and Group B underwent ORIF with a volar locking plate. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Green and O'Brien scoring system at regular intervals up to six months. Radiological evaluation included radial length, volar tilt, and radial inclination. Complications were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and independent t-test, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results The mean age was comparable between groups (p>0.05). At final follow-up, Group B demonstrated significantly better mean Green and O'Brien scores (88.2 ± 6.1) compared to Group A (76.5 ± 8.4) (p<0.001). Radiological parameters were closer to anatomical norms in Group B (p<0.05 for radial length and volar tilt). Complications were more frequent in Group A, including malunion and stiffness, whereas Group B had occasional implant-related irritation. Conclusion Within the limits of a non-randomized design, volar locking plate fixation yields superior functional and radiological outcomes compared to conservative treatment for displaced extra-articular distal radius fractures, with fewer late complications and earlier return of function.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
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 Socratic graph.