OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE WRIST FOLLOWING COLLES FRACTURE - A PRIMARY OR SECONDARY PHENOMENON

Both wrists and hands of 51 patients, who had sustained unilateral Col les' fracture 10 years previously, were examined radiologically for os teoarthritis (OA). Twenty-nine demonstrated OA, which in only five was confined to the injured wrist. The prevalence of OA was comparable in both injured and uninjured wrists. Radiocarpal and radioulnar OA corr elated with carpometacarpal OA in the same hand (p < 0.001). Polyartic ular interphalangeal OA (indicating primary OA) was present in 16 pati ents (31%), and was closely associated with radiocarpal OA and radioca rpal with radioulnar OA in the previously fractured wrist.