Rating systems for evaluation of the elbow.
BACKGROUND
Many scoring systems have been used for elbow disorders. However, only few of these have been validated, and many assess only few aspects of elbow function.


METHODS
A literature search was performed using the keyword 'elbow' in combination with 'scoring system', 'outcome assessment', 'elbow disorder' and 'clinical evaluation'.


RESULTS
Eighteen scoring systems are currently available for the evaluation of elbow disorders. Each of them evaluates the elbow performance using specific variables, including both objective and subjective criteria. All these scoring systems are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
Although many scoring systems have been used to evaluate elbow function, we are still far from a single outcome evaluation system which is reliable, valid and sensitive to clinically relevant changes, takes into account both patients' and physicians' perspective and is short and practical to use.


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies are required to evaluate the reliability, validity and sensitivity of the elbow scoring systems used in the common clinical practice.
Longo
Umile Giuseppe
UG
Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Trigoria Rome, Italy.
Franceschi
Francesco
F
Loppini
Mattia
M
Maffulli
Nicola
N
Denaro
Vincenzo
V
D004550:Elbow; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*