Construct validity of the Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation questionnaire (PRWHE) for nerve repair in the hand.

BACKGROUND

Many tools have been described for outcome assessment after nerve repair. The Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation (PRWHE) have been shown to be valid for several hand conditions.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the construct validity of the PRWHE in comparison to cold intolerance, pain and dysfunction questionnaires; the Rosén score and its subcomponents; and threshold sensibility, dynamometry and dexterity tests for nerve repair of the hand.

STUDY DESIGN

Clinical measurement.

METHODS

Construct validity was analysed through Pearson's correlation coefficient in a convenience sample of 32 adult patients after long-term median and ulnar nerve repair.

RESULTS

The PRWHE total score was highly to moderately associated with the Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (r = 0.83), Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (r = -0.60) and McGill's Pain (r = 0.58) questionnaires. In addition, it was correlated to motor (r = -0.55) and sensor subdomains (r = -0.56) of the Rosén score. Substantial to high associations were found for the motor, sensory impairment and dexterity test.

CONCLUSIONS

The PRWHE was shown to be valid, based on construct validity, for patients with nerve repair of the hand.