Differences in Inflammation, Radiological and Clinical Outcomes between Short Arm Cast and Long Arm Cast in Intraarticular Distal Radius Fractures

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Distal radius fractures are the most common upper extremity fractures with a prevalence of 20% of all limb fractures. According to the distal radius fracture guidelines by the American Academy of orthopedic surgeons, conservative therapy can be used in the management of distal radius fractures that are well reduced. AIM: The purpose of this study was to compare conservative therapy of short arm cast (SAC) and long arm cast (LAC) in the management of intraarticular distal radius fractures. METHODS: A prospective cohort observational study with consecutive sampling was conducted on 24 intraarticular distal fracture patients who underwent SAC and LAC procedures. The parameters measured were Interleukin-6 (IL-6) score, ulnar variance (UV), dorsal tilt (DT), articular step-off (SO), radiological union score system (RUSS), and patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) score. RESULTS: The dominance of patients was males aged 46 years, with an average IL-6 levels at 0–24 was 1139.23 ± 266.82 SAC and 1082.64 ± 255.85 LAC, and IL-6 levels at 48 h was 102.98 ± 39.31 SAC and 118.38 ± 39.15 LAC; 2 patients with SAC and 1 patient with LAC obtained unacceptable reduction at week 2 based on UV, DT, SO which did not differ significantly from each follow-up; RUSS 6.08 ± 0.76 SAC and 5.71 ± 0.61 LAC; and PRWE 73.23 ± 4.42 SAC and 71.86 ± 4.07 LAC. Based on statistical analysis, there were insignificant differences in IL-6, UV, DT, SO, RUSS, and PRWE levels between the SAC and LAC groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Conservative therapy with SAC may be an option for immobilization of distal radius fracture similar to LAC.