Hand Function, Position Error in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis Similar to Rheumatoid Arthritis

In patients with psoriatic arthritis, hand function and position error were worse than in healthy controls and similar to patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers published their findings in the journal Clinical Biomechanics.

“Our results highlight the necessity of treatment programs that include strength, endurance, and proprioception in patients with psoriatic arthritis who have hand involvement,” wrote researchers, “at least as much as those with rheumatoid arthritis.”

The study compared hand function and wrist joint position sense in 21 patients with psoriatic arthritis, 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 21 healthy controls. Measurement instruments included a hand dynamometer for grip strength and endurance, a pinch meter for pinch strength, the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire for functional disability, and a goniometric for wrist joint position sense assessment.

Hand functional outcomes were worse and position errors higher in participants with psoriatic arthritis compared with healthy controls, according to study authors. However, patients with psoriatic arthritis were similar for all variables to patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

“Our study revealed that hand functions and wrist joint position sense were affected as much in patients with psoriatic arthritis as in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, whose hand involvement is frequently reported in the literature,” wrote researchers.

Reference:
Köprülüoğlu M, Naz İ, Solmaz D, Akar S. Hand functions and joint position sense in patients with psoriatic arthritis-a comparison with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls. Clinical Biomechanics. 2022;(95):105640. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2022.105640