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. 2023 Oct;31(10):1388-1395.
doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2023.07.005. Epub 2023 Jul 24.

Associations between pain sensitization and measures of physical function in people with hand osteoarthritis: Results from the Nor-Hand study

Marthe Gløersen  1 , Pernille Steen Pettersen  2 , Tuhina Neogi  3 , Joseph Sexton  4 , Tore K Kvien  5 , Hilde Berner Hammer  6 , Ida K Haugen  7
Affiliations

Associations between pain sensitization and measures of physical function in people with hand osteoarthritis: Results from the Nor-Hand study

Marthe Gløersen et al. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether pain sensitization is associated with hand and lower extremity function in people with hand osteoarthritis (OA) in the Nor-Hand study.

Design: Pain sensitization was assessed by pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and temporal summation (TS). Hand function was assessed by Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN) (range: 0-36), grip strength and Moberg pick-up test, and lower extremity function was assessed by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (range: 0-68), 30-s chair stand test, and 40-m walk test. We examined whether sex-standardized PPT and TS values were cross-sectionally associated with measures of physical function using linear regression analyses. Beta coefficients were presented per sex-specific standard deviation of PPT and TS. The mediating effect of pain was examined by causal-inference based mediation analysis.

Results: In 206 participants, higher PPTs at/near the hand, indicative of less peripheral and/or central pain sensitization, were associated with greater grip strength and better self-reported hand function (beta for PPT at finger joint on AUSCAN function: -1.41, 95% CI -2.40, -0.42). Higher PPTs at/near the hand, near the knee and at trapezius were associated with lower extremity function, although not statistically significant for all outcomes. Self-reported pain severity mediated the effect of PPT on self-reported function. TS was not associated with hand or lower extremity function.

Conclusion: Peripheral sensitization, and possibly central sensitization, was associated with impaired function. Effects of PPTs on self-reported function were mediated by self-reported pain, whereas there might be a direct effect of sensitization or effects through other mediators on performance-based function.

Keywords: Function; Hand osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis; Pain; Pain sensitization.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest TN reports grants or contracts from Pfizer/Lilly (to institution) and consulting fees from Pfizer/Lilly, Regeneron and Novartis outside the submitted work. TKK reports grants or contracts from AbbVie, BMS, Pfizer, Novartis and UCB, consulting fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Celltrion, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Mylan, Novartis, Celltrion, Pfizer, Sandoz and Sanofi, payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events from Amgen, Celltrion, Egis, Evapharma, Ewopharma, Hikma, Oktal, Sandoz, Sanofi and Grünenthal and participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board for AbbVie outside the submitted work. IKH reports grants from Pfizer/Lilly (ADVANCE) related to the data collection of the Nor-Hand study, as well as honoraria for lectures from Novartis and GSK, and a leadership/fiduciary role in OARSI (unpaid) outside the submitted work. MG, PSP, JS and HBH have nothing to disclose.

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