Thumb Muscle Thickness and Strength in CMC Osteoarthritis

Ultrasonographic Measurement of Thumb Muscle Thickness and Evaluation of Pinch and Grip Strength in First Carpometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis: A Comparison of Early and Advanced Stages

A total of 34 patients aged between 50-80 years, diagnosed with first carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis based on hand radiographs taken within the last 3 months, will be included in the study from the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic. Sociodemographic data such as age, gender, height, weight, and BMI will be recorded. Based on their current radiographs, patients will be classified into two groups according to the Eaton-Littler classification: Stage 1-2 (early stage) and Stage 3-4 (advanced stage). Pain levels will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Hand grip strength will be evaluated with a Jamar hand dynamometer, and pinch grip strength will be assessed with a Jamar pinch meter. The thicknesses of the abductor pollicis brevis, first dorsal interosseous, and opponens pollicis muscles will be measured using ultrasound. All assessments will be performed separately for the dominant and non-dominant hands.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Osteoarthritis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: No intervention

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 34

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Beylikdüzü
    • Istanbul, Beylikdüzü, Turkey, 34147
      • Beylikduzu State Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population includes patients aged 50-80 years with first carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis, classified into early and advanced stages based on radiographs, excluding those with confounding medical or cognitive conditions.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged 50-80 years.
• Diagnosed with first carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis.
• Presence of a hand radiograph taken within the last 3 months.
• Volunteered to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the study.
• Use of medications that may suppress osteoarthritis flares.
• Presence of rheumatologic diseases causing peripheral joint involvement.
• History of fractures or surgeries involving the first carpometacarpal joint.
• Presence of psychiatric disorders.
• Presence of cognitive impairments that could hinder understanding or performance of study-related tasks.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Early stage osteoarthritis; Early stage osteoarthritis according to Eaton-Litter classification (stage 1 and 2)	Other: No intervention; No intervention
Advanced stage osteoarthritis; Advanced stage osteoarthritis according to Eaton-Litter classification (stage 3 and 4)	Other: No intervention; No intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Thumb Muscle Thickness (Ultrasound)	Measurement of the thickness of three thumb muscles-abductor pollicis brevis, first dorsal interosseous, and opponens pollicis-using ultrasonography. These measurements will help determine muscle atrophy or hypertrophy related to disease severity and stage	0 day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Grip Strength	Assessed using a Jamar hand dynamometer. This measure evaluates overall hand strength, which is often impaired in advanced stages of carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis.	0 day
Pinch Strength	Assessed using a Jamar pinch meter. This measure evaluates the strength of the thumb-index finger pinch, a critical function for fine motor activities. It is particularly relevant to functional limitations seen in osteoarthritis.	0 day
Pain Level (VAS)	Pain intensity will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Patients will mark their perceived pain level on a 10 cm scale, providing a quantitative measure of pain severity in both early and advanced stages.	0 day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Beylikduzu State Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Büşra Şirin Ahısha, Beylikduzu State Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 10, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 20, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): January 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 9, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 9, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): December 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 26, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 22, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Osteoarthritis
• Other Study ID Numbers: BeylikduzuStateH11

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No