Relationship between distal radius fracture malunion and arm-related disability: A prospective population-based cohort study with 1-year follow-up

Table 4 Relationship between malunion and the DASH score one year after distal radius fracture

Variables	N (%)	DASH score mean (SD)	Adjusted mean Difference (95% CI)*	p-value
Dorsal tilt
> 10°	24 (25)	25.8 (18)	10.5 (2.1-19.0)	0.015
≤ 10°	73 (75)	16.7 (17)
Ulnar variance
≥ 1 mm	66 (68)	22.4 (18)	8.7 (0.7-16.7)	0.034
≤ 0 mm	31 (32)	11.6 (16)
Malunion^†:
No malunion	27 (28)	11.5 (17)	17.3 (6.5-28.0)	0.002
Malunion I	50 (51)	19.1 (17)	11.1 (1.9-20.3)	0.019
Malunion II	20 (21)	28.5 (19)	Referent

*Analysis of covariance adjusting for age, sex and treatment method (adjustment for contralateral dorsal tilt and ulnar variance among the 89 patients with contralateral wrist radiographs gave similar results with slightly larger mean differences and lower p values)
^†No malunion, dorsal tilt ≤ 10° and ulnar variance ≤ 0 mm; Malunion I, dorsal tilt > 10° or ulnar variance ≥ 1 mm; Malunion II (combined malunion), dorsal tilt > 10° and ulnar variance ≥ 1 mm