A Grip Ability Test for use in rheumatology practice.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and evaluate a Grip Ability Test (GAT) for clinical evaluation of hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by modifying a general test for hand function based entirely on activities of daily living, the Grip Function Test (GFT).


METHODS
The GAT items were selected from those in the GFT that were sensitive to change in a hand training program of patients with RA. Based on a multivariate analysis, 3 items were chosen with an optimal representation of different grip types.


RESULTS
The reliability was high: intraobserver test r = 0.985, p < 0.001; interobserver test r = 0.948, p < 0.001; internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) 0.65. All items discriminated (p < 0.001) between patients with RA and healthy controls. The sensitivity to change in a hand training program in 24 patients with RA was significant for the total GAT (p < 0.001), as well as for the 3 items separately (p < 0.01, 0.01, and 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The GAT for patients with RA was reliable, valid, and sensitive to change. It does not require sophisticated equipment and takes 5 min to perform.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index