title: Relationship of relaxin hormone and thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The female predominance in thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis has led to speculation that reproductive hormones or hypermobility are responsible. Evidence shows that patients with pathologic laxity have a higher rate of thumb CMC arthritis. Relaxin hormone increases laxity in the pelvic ligaments through upregulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). It is thus a hormone of interest in the development of thumb CMC arthritis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goals were to identify demographic and hormonal factors associated with joint laxity in patients with CMC arthritis and to evaluate the relationship among serum relaxin, relaxin receptors, and MMPs in the anterior oblique ligament (AOL) of the thumb. We hypothesized that serum relaxin was correlated with joint laxity as well as with relaxin receptors and MMPs in the AOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine patients undergoing thumb CMC arthroplasty underwent laxity examination, blood draw, and AOL sampling. Ligaments were analyzed for relaxin receptor and MMPs 1 and 3 using quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women demonstrated more joint laxity than men (p < 0.001). RNA analysis confirmed relaxin receptors in the AOL as well as MMPs 1 and 3. There was a significant correlation between serum relaxin and MMP-1 (p = 0.04). Detectable serum relaxin was negatively correlated with relaxin receptors in the AOL (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of laxity and sex hormones in thumb CMC arthritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relaxin hormone may play a role in the development of arthritis at the thumb CMC joint.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level I, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New England Musculoskeletal Institute, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT, 06030-4038, USA, jmwolf@uchc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer Moriatis
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Danielle L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Scher
authors.forename: Eric W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Etchill
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Allison E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delaronde
authors.forename: Karen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D001178:Arthroplasty; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D052737:Carpometacarpal Joints / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008022:Ligaments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000235:genetics; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000235:genetics; D012065:Relaxin / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013933:Thumb / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018000:Receptors, Peptide; C033395:relaxin receptors; D012065:Relaxin; C511768:MMP3 protein, human; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; C522360:MMP1 protein, human; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1
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