Effects of hyperthyroidism on hand grip strength and function

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Neurology
• Physical Medicine

Background:

• Hyperthyroidism involves excessive thyroid hormones, affecting major organs like skeletal muscle.
• Thyroid hormones significantly influence muscle function and overall physical performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of overt hyperthyroidism on hand grip strength, dexterity, and function.
• To compare hand function metrics between newly diagnosed hyperthyroid patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated 51 hyperthyroid patients and 44 controls.
• Measured hand grip strength using a Jamar hand dynamometer.
• Assessed hand dexterity with the Grooved Pegboard Test (PGT) and hand function with the Duruöz Hand Index (DHI).

Main Results:

• No significant demographic or clinical differences between groups.
• Hyperthyroid patients showed significantly impaired PGT and DHI scores compared to controls.
• Hand dexterity and function were more affected than grip strength in hyperthyroidism.

Conclusions:

• Overt hyperthyroidism negatively affects hand dexterity and function.
• The condition is associated with reduced physical function rather than solely muscle strength.
• Multidisciplinary assessment is recommended for hyperthyroid patients to address functional deficits.