Hand function in rheumatic diseases: patient and physician evaluations.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Hand Function Assessment
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Rheumatic diseases significantly impact hand function.
• The modified Score for the Assessment and quantification of Chronic Rheumatoid Affections of the Hands (m-SACRAH) questionnaire captures patient-reported hand function.
• Identifying factors correlating with m-SACRAH is essential for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate clinical and para-clinical variables associated with the m-SACRAH score in patients with rheumatic diseases.
• To understand the relationship between patient-reported outcomes and objective clinical/para-clinical findings.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, or systemic sclerosis underwent m-SACRAH and Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) assessments.
• Independent evaluations by rheumatologists and physiatrists were conducted.
• Nerve conduction studies (NCS) and hand ultrasonography (USG) were performed for para-clinical assessment.

Main Results:

• Patient-reported outcomes (m-SACRAH, HAQ-DI) correlated with the number of limited motion joints.
• Physician evaluations showed good correlation with various hand function parameters.
• Ultrasonography revealed tenosynovitis correlated with HAQ-DI, but other para-clinical findings did not significantly correlate with m-SACRAH.

Conclusions:

• Patient perspectives on hand function primarily correlate with the number of limited motion joints.
• Objective clinical and para-clinical measures showed limited correlation with patient-reported hand function scores.
• Patient-reported outcomes should be a central consideration in managing hand function in rheumatic diseases.