title: Determination of the relationship between cognitive function and hand dexterity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hand dexterity is important for daily living activities and can be related to cognitive functions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and hand dexterity in patients with COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  35 COPD patients and 36 healthy individuals were assessed. The Minnesota Hand Dexterity Test and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used for assessment of cognitive function and hand dexterity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hand dexterity test scores and cognitive function of COPD patients' were significantly lower than the healthy group (p < 0.01). The MMSE scores were negatively correlated with hand dexterity scores in the COPD group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a relationship between cognitive function and hand dexterity in the patients with COPD; however, hand dexterity did not alter according to hypoxemia severity. Hand dexterity which is important in daily living activities should be evaluated in greater detail with further studies in COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylul University , Izmir , Turkey .
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soysal Tomruk
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozalevli
authors.forename: Gorkem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dizdar
authors.forename: Selnur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narin
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kilinc
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: COPD; cognitive function; hand dexterity; hypoxemia