The importance of identifying red flags in wrist and hand pain: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain can be defined as a consequence of a trauma or as a disorder of varying nature, which can be manifested in bones, muscles, tendinous and ligamentous structures, including those of the wrist and hand. However, such pain can mimic pathologies that need further diagnostic investigations; as a consequence, healthcare practitioners have to be able to detect their signs and symptoms, in order to refer the patient to the most appropriate clinician. The current literature lacks of reviews that analyze red flags in the field of wrist and hand pain. The reviewers would like to look for any correlations that could be useful in a correct screening process by clinicians. METHODS: This scoping review will be performed in accordance with the PRISMA extensions for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Studies will be included if they meet the following inclusion criteria: population characterized by wrist and hand pain with or without comorbidities either at the present or in the past. No limits of age, gender and sport activity will be applied. No study design, publication type, and data restrictions will be applied. MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro databases will be searched up to February 2023. Two reviewers will independently screen all title, abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. A data collection form will be developed by the research team to extract the characteristics of the studies included. A tabular and accompanying narrative summary of the information will be provided. CONCLUSIONS: This will be the first scoping review to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic. The results will add meaningful information for future research and clinical practice. The results of this research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be presented at relevant (inter)national scientific events.