PERCIPIENT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An evaluation of pain biomarkers and body perception outcomes after distal radius fracture
IRAS ID
353917
Contact name
Nicholas Shenker
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Chronic pain is a leading cause of disability. A striking example is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a debilitating condition that can develop after an injury like a wrist fracture. While most people recover well from a wrist fracture, about one in 25 develops CRPS. The reasons for this are unclear, and we currently lack reliable ways to identify those at highest risk.
This study will investigate biological markers (biomarkers) to help predict who is at risk of developing chronic pain. Additionally we will focus on Body Perception Disturbance (BPD), where patients feel their injured limb is foreign or distorted, as this is a known feature of CRPS.
We will recruit 200 adults who have recently fractured their wrist and a separate group of 50 patients who already have chronic CRPS. All 200 fracture patients will have a baseline assessment, including questionnaires and a blood test. A selection of these patients will be invited to participate in follow-up sub-studies at 6 months, involving brain scans (fMRI), heart rate monitoring with wearable devices, and testing the feasibility of a home-based Virtual Reality program. The 50 chronic CRPS patients will provide a single blood sample and complete questionnaires to act as a comparison group.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0316
Date of REC Opinion
3 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion