OUTCOME AFTER COLLES FRACTURE - THE RELATIVE RESPONSIVENESS OF 3 QUESTIONNAIRES AND PHYSICAL-EXAMINATION MEASURES

Clinical evaluation of outcome after Colles fracture has not been stan dardized. To assess the relative responsiveness of various clinical an d questionnaire measures for the assessment of outcome after Colles fr acture, 21 patients were surveyed on the day fracture immobilization w as discontinued and again 3 months after that date with the following measures: a short form general health survey (SF-36), the Arthritis Im pact Measurement Scale (AIMS2), the Brigham and Women's Hospital carpa l tunnel questionnaire, pinch strength, grip strength, pressure sensib ility, range of motion, and dexterity. Significant changes, all in the direction of improved health status, occurred in the following scales or measures: AIMS2 mobility, hand and finger function, arm function, household tasks, ''arthritis'' (fracture) pain, self-care, satisfactio n, physical health, affect, and tension; Brigham function; SF-36 physi cal role and mental health; and grip, pinch, dexterity, and range of m otion. The impairments that occur after Colles fracture are multidimen sional and are only partially captured by traditional physical measure s. Questionnaires such as the SF-36, AIMS2, and Brigham and Women's in struments provide a mechanism to capture the function and symptom dime nsions objectively.