The NEON (Nerve rEpair Or Not) trial: a randomized controlled trial of microsurgical repair versus nerve alignment for digital nerve injury.

Background: Digital nerves provide sensibility to the fingers. They are commonly injured through accidental sharp laceration. The aim of the NEON (Nerve rEpair Or Not) study was to investigate whether microsurgical suture repair of lacerated digital nerves is superior to nerve alignment alone without suture repair.

Developing a core outcome set for hand flexor tendon injuries: a systematic review of treatment outcomes.

This study identifies the outcome domains used in recently published studies on the treatment of hand flexor tendon injuries in adults, in order to inform the development of a core outcome set (COS). Seven databases were searched from January 2013 to March 2023 for randomized and quasi-randomized studies, trial registrations, large observational studies, database studies and systematic reviews. From the 91 eligible original studies/trial registrations, the primary outcome was appropriately identified in only 52% (13/25) of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.

Outcome measurement instruments for adult brachial plexus injury: a systematic review of development and measurement properties.

Purpose: To review candidate outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) for the core outcome set (COS) for brachial plexus injury (BPI) and identify those with the strongest measurement properties.

Methods: We conducted a PRISMA-compliant systematic review to identify studies on the measurement properties of domain-specific OMIs for adult BPI. OMIs with adequate content validity were further evaluated.

Musculoskeletal shoulder pain: Home exercise frequency and adherence to appointments are not mediators of outcome.

Objective: To investigate whether appointment adherence and frequency of home exercises mediates the association of baseline i) pain self-efficacy (PSE) or ii) patient expectation of recovery, with outcome at 6 months.

Design: Multicentre longitudinal cohort study.

Methods: Six-month outcome data (SPADI, QuickDASH) were provided by 810 of 1030 recruited participants.

Exploring patient perception of decision-making in carpal tunnel release surgery: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition, but some controversies remain regarding diagnostics and the most effective treatments. As a result, patients often experience decisional conflicts, especially when considering carpal tunnel release surgery. Understanding factors that influence decision-making in surgery can help clinicians better grasp patient treatment preferences and priorities, reducing decisional conflicts, and enabling patients to make informed, value-aligned choices through shared decision-making.

Brachial plexus injury: living with uncertainty.

Purpose: A traumatic brachial plexus injury (BPI) has life-changing consequences for patients and their families. Despite advancements in treatments final outcome is unpredictable depending on factors including time to treatment, injury severity, neural regeneration, and available interventions. The final outcome may not be seen for up to four years.

How should interventions to treat hand oedema be delivered? An online Delphi Consensus Method.

Introduction: Hand oedema (swelling) is a common consequence of hand trauma or surgery, but there is little agreement on how interventions to treat hand oedema should be delivered in practice. The purpose of this study was to engage a group of self-identified hand therapy experts to develop consensus on how four commonly used oedema management treatments should be implemented, which could be used in clinical practice or future clinical trials.

Method: A web-based Delphi study was conducted with eight volunteer hand therapists who met the pre-defined eligibility criteria for an 'expert' and were members of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT).

A pilot single-blind parallel randomised controlled trial comparing kinesiology tape to compression in the management of subacute hand oedema after trauma.

Background: Hand oedema is a common consequence of hand trauma or surgery. There are numerous methods to reduce hand oedema but lack high-quality evidence to support best practice. The primary objective of this pilot trial was to assess study feasibility when comparing treatments for subacute hand oedema after trauma.

Factors Associated with the Development, Progression, and Outcome of Dupuytren Disease Treatment: A Systematic Review.

Background: The factors typically considered to be associated with Dupuytren disease have been described, such as those in the "Dupuytren diathesis." However, the quality of studies describing them has not been appraised. This systematic review aimed to analyze the evidence for all factors investigated for potential association with the development, progression, outcome of treatment, or recurrence of Dupuytren disease.

Developing a core outcome set for traumatic brachial plexus injuries: a systematic review of outcomes.

Objective: To identify what outcomes have been assessed in traumatic brachial plexus injury (TBPI) research to inform the development of a core outcome set for TBPI.

Design: Systematic review.

Method: Medline (OVID), EMBASE, CINAHL and AMED were systematically searched for studies evaluating the clinical effectiveness of interventions in adult TBPIs from January 2013 to September 2018 updated in May 2021.

Cognitive Interviewing during Pretesting of the Prefinal Afrikaans for the Western Cape Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire following Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation.

When patient-reported measures are translated and cross-culturally adapted into any language, the process should conclude with cognitive interviewing during pretesting. This article reports on translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire into Afrikaans (for the Western Cape). This qualitative component of a clinical measurement, longitudinal study was aimed at the pretesting and cognitive interviewing of the prefinal Afrikaans (for the Western Cape) DASH questionnaire highlighting the iterative nature thereof.

Shared decision making and the practice of community translation in presenting a pre-final Afrikaans for the Western Cape Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire: a proposal for improved translation and cross-cultural adaptation.

Background: Translation and cross cultural adaptation of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) involves a step referred to as harmonisation, following forward and backward translation of the measure. This article proposes the introduction of methods not previously included in the process of harmonisation. The aim of the study was to introduce shared decision making (SDM) and the practice of community translation (CT) during the harmonisation of the Afrikaans for the Western Cape version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, a PROM that measures symptoms and activity and participation in persons with upper limb conditions.

Development of a core outcome set for traumatic brachial plexus injuries (COMBINE): study protocol.

Introduction: Traumatic brachial plexus injury (TBPI) involves major trauma to the large nerves of the arm which control the movement and sensation. Fifty per cent of injuries result in complete paralysis of the arm with many other individuals having little movement, sensation loss and unremitting pain. The injury often causes severe and permanent disability affecting work and social life, with an estimated cost to the National Health Service and the economy of £35 million per annum.

Prognostic factors for response to treatment by corticosteroid injection or surgery in carpal tunnel syndrome (palms study): A prospective multicenter cohort study.

Introduction: Studies of prognosis for surgery and corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) have considered only a limited range of explanatory variables for outcome.

Methods: Data were prospectively collected on patient-reported symptoms, physical and psychological functioning, comorbidity, and quality of life at baseline and every 6 months for up to 2 years. Outcomes were patient-rated change over a 6-month period and symptom-severity score at 18 months.

Self-efficacy and risk of persistent shoulder pain: results of a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis.

Objectives: To (i) identify predictors of outcome for the physiotherapy management of shoulder pain and (ii) enable clinicians to subgroup people into risk groups for persistent shoulder pain and disability.

Methods: 1030 people aged ≥18 years, referred to physiotherapy for the management of musculoskeletal shoulder pain were recruited. 810 provided data at 6 months for 4 outcomes: Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) (total score, pain subscale, disability subscale) and Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH).

Development and validation of a new patient-reported outcome measure for peripheral nerve disorders of the hand, the I-HaND© Scale.

Following guidelines from the Patient-Centred Outcomes Research Institute and using a mixed methods study, a new patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for both nerve trauma and compression affecting the hand, the Impact of a Hand Nerve Disorders (I-HaND) Scale, was developed. Face-to-face interviews with 14 patients and subsequent pilot-testing with 61 patients resulted in the development of the 32-item PROM. A longitudinal validation study with 82 patients assessed the psychometric properties of the I-HaND.

Learning to live with a hand nerve disorder: A constructed grounded theory.

Study Design: Grounded theory.

Introduction: The broader perspective of health offered by the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health has had a significant bearing on how we view the measurement of health outcomes after surgical or therapy interventions for peripheral nerve disorders affecting the hand. The value of the patient's perspective is now recognized and outcomes which reflect this are being advocated in the clinical management and support of this population.

An evaluation of the structural validity of the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) using the Rasch model.

Purpose: The shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) has been extensively evaluated for its psychometric properties using classical test theory (CTT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate its structural validity using Rasch model analysis.

Methods: Responses to the SPADI from 1030 patients referred for physiotherapy with shoulder pain and enrolled in a prospective cohort study were available for Rasch model analysis.

The validity and clinical utility of the Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand questionnaire for hand injuries in developing country contexts: A systematic review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Introduction: The Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire has multiple language versions from many countries around the world. In addition there is extensive research evidence of its psychometric properties.

Association of psychological distress, quality of life and costs with carpal tunnel syndrome severity: a cross-sectional analysis of the PALMS cohort.

Objectives: The Prediciting factors for response to treatment in carpal tunnel syndrome (PALMS) study is designed to identify prognostic factors for outcome from corticosteroid injection and surgical decompression for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and predictors of cost over 2 years. The aim of this paper is to explore the cross-sectional association of baseline patient-reported and clinical severity with anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life and costs of CTS in patients referred to secondary care.

Methods: Prospective, multicentre cohort study initiated in 2013.

Effectiveness of edema management techniques for subacute hand edema: A systematic review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Introduction: Prolonged hand edema can have detrimental effects on range of motion and function. There is no consensus on how best to manage traumatic subacute edema.