title: A new clinical severity scoring system for reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the upper limb.
abstract: A scoring system for the clinical severity of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) is proposed. The following signs and symptoms were considered to be significant: pain, reduction of finger flexion, swelling, temperature changes, discolouration, sensory disturbances, shoulder pain and loss of movement, increased sweating, and hair/nail growth changes. One point was assigned for strong expression of most of these features, half a point for moderate expression and no point if the feature was absent. A total score of 4 points was assumed, empirically, to indicate a mild degree of RSD, and the maximum score of 10 to indicate the most severe form of RSD. One hundred and forty-six patients with RSD of the hand were classified according to this system. Seventy-four patients (51%) had a score of 4-6, 51 patients (35%) a score of 6.5-8, and 21 patients (14%) a score of 8.5-10. Use of this system will allow more precise analysis of RSD patients and facilitate comparisons between studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Hand Surgery, Pomeranian Academy of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland. azyluk@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zyluk
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D004487:Edema / Q000503:physiopathology; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000145:classification* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology; D013546:Sweating / Q000502:physiology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*