Comparison of responsiveness of Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire, and Duruöz Hand Index in patients with traumatic hand injury.

OBJECTIVE: Patient-reported outcome measures assessing self-reported disability, pain, and function are primary endpoints for determination of optimal treatment strategies in hand-related conditions. In this study, we aimed to compare responsiveness of Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), and Duruöz Hand Index (DHI) in patients with traumatic hand injury.

METHODS: Consecutive patients with traumatic hand injury who were referred to our polyclinic for rehabilitation were included in the study. Depending on clinical status, patients underwent at least 14 sessions of physical therapy consisting of infrared heating, water submersion ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and exercise. MHQ, DASH, and DHI questionnaires were filled in by all patients both before and 3 months after physical therapy.

RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were enrolled in the study. MHQ (ES =-1.89; SRM =-1.84), DASH (ES = 1.66; SRM = 1.40), and DHI (ES = 1.68; SRM = 1.48) were all highly responsive in traumatic hand injuries.

CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that MHQ, DASH, and DHI are very responsive questionnaires for detection of treatment-induced changes in patients with traumatic hand injury. We suggest that when it is only intended to assess hand disability or when a quick assessment is desirable, DASH or DHI are more suitable, whereas MHQ will be more useful when a more detailed assessment including pain and aesthetical concerns is required.