title: Main health-related quality-of-life issues in patients after a distal radius fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify and assess the degree and clinical course of the main health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) issues in patients after a distal radius fracture (DRF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were eligible if they were between 18-80 years and were within 1-3 days after a non-comminuted DRF. All patients filled out the Polish version of the IOF QLQ, the SF-36 and a demographic questionnaire. Assessment points were set as soon as possible after the fracture, 7 days, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 after the fracture. Standard statistical analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 16 month recruitment period a total of 71 patients (55 women - 77.5%), with a mean age of 64.1 ± 12.4 years, were included in the study group. All patients suffered from Colles type fractures. Attrition to follow-up was acceptable. At baseline, basing on the IOF QLQ scale scores, DRF patients had the most significant problems with physical function (82.8/100; with 100 representing the worst possible HRQoL), and general health (78.1/100). Basing on SF-36 scale scores patients most significant problems were associated with role limitations due to physical health problems (15.1/100; with 100 representing the best possible HRQoL), and bodily pain (39.5/100).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concluding, this study shows that the main issues with which patients with and extra-articular DRF struggle the most are pain of the fractured extremity and physical dysfunction. These symptoms are most pronounced in the early post-injury period, and in the majority of patients steadily decrease over a period of six months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, 5th Military Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Golec
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Depukat
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rutowicz
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walocha
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mizia
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pełka
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kopacz
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, 5th Military Hospital; Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. krtomaszewski@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Krzysztof A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Tomaszewski
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walocha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: IOF QLQ; SF-36; distal radius fracture; health-related quality-of-life; wrist