The Modified Hand Mobility in Scleroderma Test and Skin Involvement - A Followup Study

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Systemic Sclerosis Research
• Hand Function Assessment

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis and vascular damage.
• Assessing hand mobility changes is crucial for understanding disease progression and treatment efficacy in SSc.
• The modified Hand Mobility in Scleroderma (mHAMIS) test is a tool to evaluate hand function in SSc patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the evolution of the mHAMIS test scores from early to advanced stages of SSc.
• To determine the relationship between mHAMIS scores and skin involvement during patient follow-up.
• To explore factors influencing mHAMIS changes, including autoantibodies, vascular lesions, and immunosuppressive treatment.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study of 65 SSc patients with early disease duration (≤ 3 years).
• Patients were assessed using the mHAMIS test at baseline and at two follow-up points (3.1-5 yrs and 5.1-9 yrs post-onset).
• Concurrent assessments included modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), hand mRSS, serum COMP, and digital vascular lesions.

Main Results:

• mHAMIS and hand mRSS showed synchronous changes within the first 5 years of SSc onset (rs = 0.44, p = 0.001).
• Patients with high baseline mHAMIS experienced significant improvements in both mHAMIS and hand mRSS at first follow-up.
• Higher mHAMIS scores were associated with specific autoantibodies (anti-โทโพโิโซเมอเรส I, anti-RNA polymerase III), digital vascular lesions, and improved with early immunosuppressive treatment.

Conclusions:

• The mHAMIS test reflects early fibrotic disease activity in SSc.
• In later stages, mHAMIS serves as a measure of damage from fibrosis and vascular issues.
• mHAMIS is a suitable endpoint for monitoring SSc progression in follow-up examinations.