How to predict the functional outcome of hand injuries based on their severity; correlation between the HISS and the DASH score

The hand is one of the most complex and important parts of our body, enabling us to complete an array of necessary functions, from grasping things to expressing ourselves through gestures. Unfortunately, hand trauma sequelae are usually serious as they can disturb daily living and professional tasks, especially in manual workers. Severe hand injuries are mutilating and have a tremendous impact on the mental health of most patients. This study aims to explore the correlation between HISS and DASH scores in hand injuries, shedding light on their utility in evaluating patient outcomes. We reviewed the medical records of 385 patients suffering from hand injuries, who were admitted to the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology of Ibn Sina Hospital of Rabat, between January 2022 and May 2023. The severity of injuries was assessed by the Hand Injury Severity Score (HISS). The impact of these injuries was assessed by the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score (DASH). This study found a significant correlation between the severity of the hand injury as assessed by the HISS and the functional outcome as evaluated by the DASH score. Patients with high HISS are likely to report higher DASH scores due to the interplay between objective injury severity and subjective functional outcomes, as was reported by several studies.