BackgroundBackground: The knowledge about striatal hand deformities (SHD) in Parkinson's disease (PD), has recently increased but need more attention due to their early impact on dexterity. The focus of clinical studies has been on the staging of SHD severity and neurological features. However, a hand surgical perspective has not been considered. Objectives Objectives: Our purpose was to examine SHD in patients with PD using hand surgical assessment methods and the recommended staging of SHD. Methods Methods: In this observational study, a specialist in neurological physiotherapy examined 100 consecutive PD patients and identified 35 with suspected SHD, who were then examined by two hand surgeons. Their hands were clinically evaluated for severity of SHD, according to a previous proposed staging, focusing on metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint flexion, presence of intrinsic and extrinsic tightness, as well as other hand deformities.
ResultsResults: Three kinds of deformities were identified among 35 included patients: surgical diagnoses unrelated to PD (n = 5), SHD (n = 23), and PD related hand deformities with increased extrinsic tightness (n = 10); three of these 10 patients had also contralateral SHD, thus are included in SHD group. In addition to previously described MCP joint flexion, swan neck deformity and z-thumb deformity, we found in most hands finger "clefting," abduction of the little finger and/or an increased intrinsic tightness, indicating pathology of intrinsic muscles of the hand involved in SHD. Conclusions Conclusions: SHD diagnosed with a modified staging method, including features of intrinsic and extrinsic hand deformities, should be considered in PD to implement early and more accurate treatment.A striatal hand deformity (SHD) is recognized by flexion of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, sometimes in combination with hyperextension of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints. [1][2][3] The term "striatal deformity" has been used since the 70's to describe various abnormal parkinsonian postures of the hand, foot and spine. 3 Today, we know that lesions in the striatum (caudate and putamen) cause dystonia, but evidence supporting that "striatal deformities" are related to the striatum are in fact scarce. 3 Thus, SHD in Parkinson's disease (PD), occurring in 8-10% of PD patients, 4,5 is still relatively unrecognized and not fully understood. 1,4,5 It seems as SHD is poorly responsive to medication effects, 2 is not action-induced 6 and is still present with the hands relaxed and during sleep, 1,6 indicating that a SHD shares features with rigidity, although dystonia has been discussed in relation to the origin of SHD. 3,4,7 Also, other PD related deformities, such as "clenched fist" 8 or wrist flexion while walking related to motor fluctuations, 9 are closely related to dystonia. Interestingly, mild stages of SHD can be one of the earliest parkinsonian signs in untreated patients and the laterality of SHD is highly specific for the worst affected side of PD. [2][3][4] Patients with SHD are yo...