Skip Navigation

Rheumatology 2009 48(2):183-187; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ken452
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, E.
Right arrow Articles by Dziedzic, K. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, E.
Right arrow Articles by Dziedzic, K. S.
Related Collections
Right arrow Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Right arrow Psychology: Measurement and Management of Pain
Right arrow Rheumatoid Arthritis
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Hand problems in community-dwelling older adults: onset and effect on global physical function over a 3-year period

E. Thomas1, P. R. Croft1 and K. S. Dziedzic1

1Arthritis Research Campaign National Primary Care Centre, Primary Care Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, UK.

Correspondence to: E. Thomas, Arthritis Research Campaign National Primary Care Centre, Primary Care Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK. E-mail: e.thomas{at}keele.ac.uk


  Abstract

Objective. To determine the impact of the onset of hand problems on global physical functioning in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods. Three-year follow-up postal survey of a population sample of older adults (50 yrs and over) previously recruited to the North Staffordshire Osteoarthritis Project. Questionnaires at baseline and 3-yr collected data on joint pain in the past 12 months in the hands and lower limbs, and physical functioning [SF-36 subscale (PF-10)]. Onset of hand problems at 3 yrs was determined in two subgroups: (i) those free from hand problems and lower limb pain at baseline (n = 762) and (ii) those free from hand problems but with lower limb pain at baseline (n = 754). Changes in PF-10 scores from baseline to 3 yrs were examined in these two subgroups.

Results. Onset of hand problems was similar in the two subgroups (20.6 and 24.3% in those without and with baseline lower limb pain, respectively). Females had a higher onset than males but age had little influence. Significantly greater mean change in PF-10 scores was seen in those who reported hand problem onset compared with persons who remained free of hand problems; 8.47 vs 4.62 and 4.78 vs 1.08 in those without and with baseline lower limb pain, respectively.

Conclusions. The development of hand problems has a detrimental effect on global physical functioning even in the absence of concurrent lower limb problems. The assessment and effective treatment of hand problems could prove to be important components of maintaining function in the older adult with joint pain and OA.

KEY WORDS: Hand (regional rheumatism), Osteoarthritis (rheumatic diseases), Disability evaluation (psychological and social phenomena), Epidemiology (basic and clinical sciences), Primary care rheumatology (health services and practice)

Submitted 28 July 2008; revised version accepted 15 November 2008.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.