Registration and results reporting of interventional clinical trials for hand and wrist conditions: A cross-sectional analysis of 730 ClinicalTrials.gov records

Objectives: Results-reporting performance has not been characterized for hand and wrist trials. We evaluated portfolio characteristics, registry status, and results posting. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of interventional studies retrieved by a prespecified ClinicalTrials.gov query on July 25, 2026. We quantified posting overall, among completed trials, and among trials due for reporting (primary completion at least 12 months earlier), using exploratory multivariable logistic regression with a Firth-penalized sensitivity model. Results: Of 730 trials, 653 (89.5%) had funder type OTHER; 347 (47.5%) were completed and 126 (17.3%) had prolonged unknown or outdated status. Results were posted for 49 trials (6.7%) overall, 30 of 347 completed (8.6%), and 47 of 543 due for reporting (8.7%). Cumulative incidence reached 8.9% at 60 months; median delay among posting trials was 19.8 months. Posting was associated with a United States lead location (adjusted odds ratio 8.58, 95% confidence interval 4.19–17.54; p = 3.9 × 10- 9 ) and declined with more recent registration year (0.94/year, 0.89–0.99; p = 0.021). Seven of the 10 countries contributing the most trials posted no results. Conclusion: Hand and wrist trials are proliferating but rarely post summary results in the registry, and posting concentrates among trials led from the United States. Because registry posting is not equivalent to journal publication, these figures describe registry transparency rather than total dissemination.