Erosive hand osteoarthritis: its prevalence and clinical impact in the general population and symptomatic hand osteoarthritis

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of erosive hand osteoarthritis (EOA) in the general population and its relation to symptomatic hand osteoarthritis (HOA), hand pain and disability.

Methods: Baseline data of participants from a population-based study (age ≥55 years) were used. Symptomatic HOA was defined as hand pain and in addition to radiographic HOA (at least one interphalangeal (IP) joint or 1st carpometacarpal joint with Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2). EOA was defined as having at least one IP joint with erosions according to the Verbruggen-Veys scoring method. Hand pain and disability were self-reported. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the effect of EOA on pain and disability. Results were presented as OR with a 95% CI, adjusted for age and sex.

Results: Of 3430 participants, radiographic HOA was seen in 56% (n=1916) and symptomatic HOA in 11% (n=371). Erosions were seen in 96 subjects. The prevalence of EOA in the general, radiographic and symptomatic HOA population was 2.8%, 5.0% and 10.2%, respectively. Presence of EOA led to adjusted ORs for pain of 3.6 (95% CI 2.4 to 5.6) and for disability 2.4 (95% CI 1.1 to 5.4). In radiographic HOA, people with erosion(s) had more hand pain (adjusted OR=3.1, 95% CI 2.0 to 4.8) or disability (adjusted OR=2.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8) than people without erosion(s).

Conclusion: The prevalence of EOA is 2.8% in the general population and 10.2% in individuals with symptomatic HOA. It has a substantial impact on hand pain and disability.