Associations between hand function and electrophysiological measurements in hand osteoarthritis patients of different ages with or without carpal tunnel syndrome

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative disease that most frequently involves the hand. The objective was to compare clinical functional outcome measures including hand grip, pinch strength, and dexterity with various electrophysiological measures in patients of different ages with hand osteoarthritis with or without the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Patients with hand osteoarthritis (208 patients, 404 hands) who underwent hand-function tests and motor and sensory nerve conduction studies (NCS) between June 2015 and June 2016 were enrolled. The patients’ hands were assigned to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) (206 hands; mean age, 56.37 ± 10.52; male:female, 46:160) or control groups (198 hands; mean age, 57.88 ± 9.68; male:female, 55:143). The strength of hand grip and lateral pinch, the time required to complete the nine-hole pegboard test (9HPT), and motor and sensory nerve conduction parameters were measured and compared across age groups and between hands with or without CTS. The CTS group showed significantly lower hand grip and lateral pinch strength, and a longer time to complete the 9HPT in comparison with the control group. Female patients showed significantly lower hand grip and lateral pinch strength than male patients. However, there was no difference in the 9HPT completion time between genders. Multivariate regression analysis identified the amplitude of the median compound muscle action potential (CMAP), age, and male gender as independent predictors of grip strength (adjusted R2 = 0.679), and amplitude of median CMAP and male gender as independent predictors of KP strength (adjusted R2 = 0.603). Velocity of median CMAP, amplitude of median sensory nerve action potential, and age were identified as independent predictors of 9HPT time (adjusted R2 = 0.329). Nerve conduction measurements were significantly related to hand-function test results, and CTS induced significant deficits in strength and performance of the affected hand.

Ağir Karpal Tünel Sendromu İçi̇n Ri̇sk Faktörleri̇ni̇n İncelenmesi̇ - Ev Hanimliği Bi̇r Ri̇sk Mi̇?

“…In a case-control study, Murray found that the incidence of lateral epicondylitis in patients diagnosed with CTS was significantly higher than in control patients (18). According to Kim's research, the participants with CTS showed significantly lower hand grip strength, pinch strength, and steadiness of hand dexterity than those without CTS, fndings that are compatible with recent reports (19,20).…”

Impact of carpal tunnel syndrome on symptoms and structural severity of hand osteoarthritis: results from the DIGICOD cohort

“…The risk factors for CTS in HOA are those known in the general population: hypothyroidism, obesity and metabolic syndrome, the last 2 being shared by both diseases. However, our study did not find any impact of CTS on the clinical signs and structural severity of HOA and thus did not confirm the results of Kim et al [6]. These two pathologies could thus evolve independently.…”

“…However, beyond causality, combination of both disease (HOA and CTS) could aggravate hand symptoms in HOA population. One recent study showed that CTS was associated with a significant decrease in strength and performance of the OA-affected hand [6]. This observation suggested that CTS-induced neuropathic disorders may have effects on the surrounding joints symptomatically supporting the role of nerve-joint axis in OA pain.…”

The Relationship Between Smartphone Usage Duration with Hand Grip, Pinch Grip Strength and It’s Impact on NCS Motor Parameters of Median Nerve in Young Population – An Observational Study

“…Different pathological processes result in changes in NCS parameters [8]. A study report demonstrated that median motor nerve electrophysiological findings were strong predictors of the results of hand-function tests in the hand osteoarthritis patient population [9].…”