[Climacteric arthralgia and hand arthrosis]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Gynecology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Menopause is associated with various health changes, including musculoskeletal complaints.
• Arthralgia (joint pain) in the hands is common among women experiencing menopausal symptoms.
• Previous classifications have not clearly distinguished menopausal joint pain from degenerative arthritis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the classification of climacteric arthroses of the hand.
• To determine if menopausal joint pain meets diagnostic criteria for hand arthritis.
• To correlate subjective patient complaints with objective radiographic findings.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 132 females with wrist and finger joint pain presenting with menopausal complaints.
• Participants completed questionnaires based on clinical criteria for hand arthroses.
• Radiographic examination (X-ray) was performed to assess for degenerative arthritis.

Main Results:

• All participant groups (premenopausal, postmenopausal, surgically menopausal) met criteria for hand arthroses based on questionnaires.
• Radiographic findings did not show signs of degenerative arthritis in any group.
• Subjective patient complaints of arthralgia were inconsistent with X-ray findings.

Conclusions:

• Climacteric arthralgias of the wrist and finger joints should not be classified as arthritis based solely on subjective symptoms.
• Subjective joint pain during menopause requires careful differentiation from degenerative joint disease.
• Further research is needed to understand the etiology and appropriate management of menopausal arthralgias.