Hand dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus: Systematic review with meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Diabetology
• Neurology

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) commonly leads to hand and foot complications, yet research often overlooks hand involvement.
• T2DM can impair hand strength and dexterity, negatively affecting daily function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze existing evidence on the impact of T2DM on hand strength, dexterity, and function.
• To identify studies evaluating grip strength, pinch strength, and hand function in T2DM patients compared to healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Searched multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, etc.) for studies published between 1990 and 2017.
• Included studies assessing grip strength, pinch strength, dexterity, and hand function using questionnaires.
• Compared data from T2DM patients and healthy controls, reporting results as standardized mean difference (SMD) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

• Meta-analysis of 7 studies revealed a trend towards reduced grip and pinch strength in T2DM patients, though not statistically significant.
• Hand dexterity showed no significant difference in the dominant hand but was poorer in the non-dominant hand for T2DM patients.
• Two studies indicated worse overall hand function in T2DM patients compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• T2DM is associated with reduced hand function, particularly grip and pinch strength, compared to healthy individuals.
• Current evidence is limited by small sample sizes across included studies.
• Further research with adequate sample sizes and randomized controlled trials is necessary to establish statistically significant findings.