Assessment of limited joint mobility of the hand in Black Africans with diabetes mellitus and in non-diabetics.
OBJECTIVE
This study is designed to further characterize Limited Joint Mobility (LJM) of the hand using quantitative goniometric measurements among Black Africans with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes.


METHODS
Seventy-six patients with Type 2 diabetes and 63 normal controls matched for age and gender were purposively selected. Visual clinical examination and quantitative goniometric assessment of patients with DM and non-DM controls were done. The LJM was graded using the criteria of Silverstein et al. Glycaemic control and proteinuria were also assessed.


RESULTS
Prevalence of LJM among Type 2 DM patients was 26.3% compared with 4.8% in normal controls. Subjects with LJM within the control group were significantly older than those with LJM within the DM group (p < 0.05). Prayer sign was 11.8% in DM patients compared with 4.8% of control. The flattening sign demonstrated by the inability to flatten their hands on a flat surface was more in patients with DM (10.5%) compared with 4.8% in the control group. Stage II LJM with 18.4% prevalence was the commonest followed by Stage III (7.9%) among patients with DM. Poor glycaemic control was found in 85%, using fasting plasma glucose and 70%, using 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2 hpp).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that Black Africans with Type 2 DM only have moderately severe cases of LJM.
Ikem
I C
IC
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. icikem@yahoo.com
Ikem
R T
RT
Olaogun
M O B
MO
Owoyemi
A
A
Ola
B A
BA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular
D001786:Blood Glucose