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.