Article
Objective and subjective hand function reflect grade of tenosynovitis in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
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Published: | August 30, 2023 |
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Introduction: The Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick-DASH) and Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ) serve as patient-reported hand function scores in rheumatic diseases, while grip strength and fine motor skill Moberg-Picking-Up Test (MPUT) are able to objectively assess hand impairment [1]. It is unclear how patient-reported and objectively assessed hand function relate with structural changes at the tissue level in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and psoriasis (Pso). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of tenosynovitis and synovitis by ultrasonography greyscale (GS) and power doppler (PD) with grip strength, MPUT, and hand questio[2]nnaires in PsA and Pso.
Methods: PsA and Pso patients were recruited from the Rheumatology and Immunology Department, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen. After giving written informed consent patients completed the MHQ and Quick-DASH and performed an isometric grip strength test and MPUT. A bilateral ultrasonography of the flexor tendons of all fingers and metacarpophalangeal joints 2–5 and wrists was undertaken using GS and PD modes and scored according to the EULAR-OMERACT scoring system [3]. Spearman correlations were used for the association between ultrasonography scores, questionnaires and hand function by hand dominance for pooled data of all patients and repeated measure correlation was performed for the group of patients with either a positive tenosynovitis or synovitis score ≥1.
Results: 106 patients participated in this study (table 1 [Tab. 1]). MPUT correlated significantly with GS synovitis score for both hands (non-/dominant: r=0.25/0.21, p<0.05). Low negative correlations were observed between grip strength and both, GS and PD tenosynovitis score (r=-0.22 and -0.23, p<0.05). In ultrasonography active patients, a moderate negative correlation between grip strength and GS tenosynovitis score in digit 2 (r=-0.493, p=0.044) and between GS tenosynovitis score in digit 1 with both, MHQ (r=-0.334, p=0.033) and Quick-DASH (r=-0.331, p=0.035) and in digit 4 with Quick-DASH (r=0.4, p=0.009) were detected.
Conclusion: In patients with PsA and Pso, ultrasound-detected tendon involvement is associated with loss of grip strength and patient-reported hand function impairment, while joint involvement appears to impact fine motor skills. Future studies should focus on the potential of objective functional tests for early diagnosis of patients transitioning from Pso to PsA [2].
Acknowledgement: This work was partly funded by Novartis Pharma GmbH, Germany and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – SFB 1483 – Project-ID 442419336, EmpkinS.
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