RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Motor performance of the hand in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
JF Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
JO Ann Rheum Dis
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism
SP 812
OP 816
DO 10.1136/ard.59.10.812
VO 59
IS 10
A1 Kauranen, Kari
A1 Vuotikka, Pekka
A1 Hakala, Markku
YR 2000
UL http://ard.bmj.com/content/59/10/812.abstract
AB OBJECTIVES To examine the motor performance of the hand in a sample of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).SUBJECTS The patient group comprised 21 (two men, 19 women) patients with RA. Twenty one control subjects matched for age and sex were selected from a larger reference group, which had been drawn from the local population.METHODS The measured motor performance aspects were simple reaction time, choice reaction time, speed of movement, finger tapping speed, and coordination (that is, speed of movement/accuracy). Results were compared for age and sex matched pairs. The measurements were made with the Human Performance Measurement/Basic Elements of Performance system, which is a multifunctional system designed to measure different motor aspects of the hands, including reaction time, movement speed, tapping speed, and coordination.RESULTS A comparison of the results for the patient and control groups indicated that the motor functions of patients with RA were impaired in all the measured aspects (with the exception of the index finger tapping test). The difference between the groups varied between 11% and 21% for the reaction time tasks, between 12% and 18% for the speed of movement tasks, and between 15% and 17% for the coordination task.CONCLUSION Based on the results of our research, it seems that RA decreases some motor performance functions of the hand expressed as simple reaction time, choice reaction time, speed of movement, and coordination. The changes were emphasised in movements performed with several joints.