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Hand deformities are important signs of disease severity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

Malcus Johnsson, Pia LU and Eberhardt, Kerstin LU (2009) In Rheumatology (Oxford, England) 48. p.1398-1401
Abstract
Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and significance of hand deformities during the first 10 years of RA. Methods. One hundred and eighty-three early RA patients were included in the study during 1985-89. Mean +/- s.d. of age at onset was 51.4 +/- 12.4 years, and mean duration of symptoms before inclusion 12 +/- 7 months; 64% were women. The patients were followed annually. Assessment of hand deformities was standardized. Hand mobility was measured by signals of functional impairment (SOFI), disability by HAQ and hand HAQ, disease activity by ESR and radiographic changes by the Larsen method. Results. One hundred and eight (59%) patients developed at least one hand deformity during the study time. The... (More)
Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and significance of hand deformities during the first 10 years of RA. Methods. One hundred and eighty-three early RA patients were included in the study during 1985-89. Mean +/- s.d. of age at onset was 51.4 +/- 12.4 years, and mean duration of symptoms before inclusion 12 +/- 7 months; 64% were women. The patients were followed annually. Assessment of hand deformities was standardized. Hand mobility was measured by signals of functional impairment (SOFI), disability by HAQ and hand HAQ, disease activity by ESR and radiographic changes by the Larsen method. Results. One hundred and eight (59%) patients developed at least one hand deformity during the study time. The majority occurred during the first years. After 10 years, the rate of ulnar deviation, button hole deformity and swan neck deformity was 44, 24 and 23.5%, respectively. The deformity group showed significantly higher disease activity during the first 5 years, and significantly more hand impairment, more disability and more severe radiographic changes throughout the study. Presence of a deformity after 1 year increased the risk of developing a Larsen score above median after 5 years. Odds ratio (95% CI) was 2.1 (1.023, 4.385). Conclusions. More than half of the patients in this early RA cohort had developed hand deformities after 10 years. Most deformities occurred during the first year of the disease. Presence of hand deformities had an impact on daily life function and added useful prognostic information, being an early sign of a more severe disease. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
volume
48
pages
1398 - 1401
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000271577700014
  • pmid:19720679
  • scopus:73349100716
  • pmid:19720679
ISSN
1462-0332
DOI
10.1093/rheumatology/kep253
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
98e09547-b0d0-4e20-be5b-6ce8ee46939a (old id 1483956)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19720679?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:16:43
date last changed
2022-01-29 17:06:13
@article{98e09547-b0d0-4e20-be5b-6ce8ee46939a,
  abstract     = {{Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and significance of hand deformities during the first 10 years of RA. Methods. One hundred and eighty-three early RA patients were included in the study during 1985-89. Mean +/- s.d. of age at onset was 51.4 +/- 12.4 years, and mean duration of symptoms before inclusion 12 +/- 7 months; 64% were women. The patients were followed annually. Assessment of hand deformities was standardized. Hand mobility was measured by signals of functional impairment (SOFI), disability by HAQ and hand HAQ, disease activity by ESR and radiographic changes by the Larsen method. Results. One hundred and eight (59%) patients developed at least one hand deformity during the study time. The majority occurred during the first years. After 10 years, the rate of ulnar deviation, button hole deformity and swan neck deformity was 44, 24 and 23.5%, respectively. The deformity group showed significantly higher disease activity during the first 5 years, and significantly more hand impairment, more disability and more severe radiographic changes throughout the study. Presence of a deformity after 1 year increased the risk of developing a Larsen score above median after 5 years. Odds ratio (95% CI) was 2.1 (1.023, 4.385). Conclusions. More than half of the patients in this early RA cohort had developed hand deformities after 10 years. Most deformities occurred during the first year of the disease. Presence of hand deformities had an impact on daily life function and added useful prognostic information, being an early sign of a more severe disease.}},
  author       = {{Malcus Johnsson, Pia and Eberhardt, Kerstin}},
  issn         = {{1462-0332}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1398--1401}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Rheumatology (Oxford, England)}},
  title        = {{Hand deformities are important signs of disease severity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kep253}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/rheumatology/kep253}},
  volume       = {{48}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}