Handedness and hand joint changes in rheumatoid arthritis

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Orthopedics
• Hand Surgery

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects hand joints, leading to deformities and functional loss.
• The role of dominant versus nondominant hand use in rheumatoid arthritis progression is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between hand use and the development of deforming joint changes in rheumatoid arthritis.
• To compare joint mobility, range of motion, and strength between dominant and nondominant hands in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Main Methods:

• Compared metacarpophalangeal lateral mobility, hyperextension, thumb range of motion, and pinch strength between dominant and nondominant hands.
• Recorded incidence of boutonniere and swan neck deformities and distal radioulnar laxity.
• Utilized multivariate analysis of variance for statistical comparison in 51 adult subjects with rheumatoid arthritis.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were found in joint measures between the dominant and nondominant hands.
• The study did not establish a clear link between hand use patterns and the severity of joint destruction.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between hand use and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis remains unclear.
• Further research is required to elucidate this relationship.
• Findings have implications for developing joint protection treatment principles in rheumatoid arthritis management.