title: Disability in patients with trapeziometacarpal joint arthrosis: incidental versus presenting diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that there is no difference in trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint arthrosis-related symptoms and disability between patients seeking treatment for symptoms of TMC arthrosis and those with incidental TMC joint arthrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared 64 patients presenting for care of TMC joint arthrosis with 64 with incidental TMC joint arthrosis. For both groups, the diagnosis was based on crepitation on examination. Bivariate and multivariate analyses assessed factors associated with symptoms and disability related to TMC joint arthrosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In bivariate analysis, patients presenting for care of TMC joint arthrosis had significantly more symptoms and disability from TMC joint arthrosis than those with incidental TMC joint arthrosis. The best multivariate linear regression model for fewer TMC joint arthrosis-related symptoms and disability included patients with incidental TMC joint arthrosis, male sex, no other painful conditions, less catastrophic thinking, and fewer depressive symptoms and explained 74% of the variability. Having incidental TMC joint arthrosis (25%) and more adaptive coping strategies (less catastrophic thinking; 5%) were the most important contributors to fewer symptoms and less disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future studies are merited to determine whether training in better coping strategies (eg, less catastrophic thinking and fewer depressive symptoms) can decrease symptoms and disability in patients with TMC joint arthrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prognostic III.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Stéphanie J E
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Dennis J S
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Makarawung
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Silke A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Spit
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Electronic address: dring@partners.org.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ring
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D050276:Hand Bones; D050823:Hand Joints; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D034941:Upper Extremity
keywords: Disability; incidental diagnosis; psychosocial factors; symptoms; trapeziometacarpal joint arthrosis