ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Using network meta-analysis, we evaluated the adverse effects of the seven most common treatment methods, i.e., bridging external fixation, non-bridging external fixation, K-wire fixation, plaster fixation, dorsal plating, volar plating, and dorsal and volar plating, by their associated risk of developing complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in distal radius fracture (DRF) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following an exhaustive search of scientific literature databases for high quality studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to our study topic were screened and selected based on stringent predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extracted from the selected studies were used for statistical analyses using Stata 12.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 17 RCTs, including 1658 DRF patients, were enrolled in this network meta-analysis. Among the 1658 DRF patients, 452 received bridging external fixation, 525 received non-bridging external fixation, 154 received K-wire fixation, 84 received plaster fixation, 132 received dorsal plating, 123 received volar plating, and 188 received dorsal and volar plating. When compared to bridging external fixation patients, there was no marked difference in the CRPS risk in DRF patients receiving different treatments (all p > 0.05). However, the surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) for plaster fixation (77.0%) and non-bridging external fixation (71.3%) were significantly higher compared with the other five methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that compared with bridging external fixation, K-wire fixation, dorsal plating, volar plating, dorsal and volar plating, plaster fixation and non-bridging external fixation might be the better treatment methods to reduce the risk of CRPS in DRF patients.
ABSTRACT
Recently, an inverse role for Wnt signaling in the development of osteoclasts in the bone was demonstrated. In the present study, we examined whether there is a commonality in the mechanism of bone resorption and lysis that occur in a diverse set of bone metastatic lesions, as well as in primary bone lesions. Compared with control bone tissue and bone biopsies from patients with nonmetastatic primary tumors (i.e., breast carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and prostate carcinoma), patients with bone metastatic lesions from the three aforementioned primary tumors, as well as osteolytic lesions obtained from the bone biopsies of patients with multiple myeloma, demonstrated an upregulated expression of the glycoprotein Dickkopf-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels. Additionally, by coimmunoprecipitation, Dickkopf-1 pulled-down low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (Lrp6), which is a key downstream effector of the Wnt signaling pathway. The expression of Lrp6 was unaltered in the osteometastatic lesions. This negative regulation was associated with a lowered expression of osteoprotegerin in the osteometastatic lesions, an observation that was previously reported to promote osteoclastogenesis. These findings provide a common mechanism for the inverse relationship between the Wnt signaling pathway and the development of primary or metastatic bone lesions. Pharmacological modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway might benefit the clinical management of primary and metastatic bone lesions.
