Assessing Gout Damage in Hands

Assessing Gout Damage in Hands

This is my review of a gout and hand function report. In which I will explain the key points for gout sufferers. So this is for people who are concerned about gout symptoms. Because it helps you discuss your symptoms concerns with health professionals. In the hope that you can understand your doctor’s diagnosis better.

Citation for Assessing Gout Damage in Hands

This is a GoutPal review of:
Soyupek, Feray, and Selami Akkuş. “Function Assessment in Metabolic Disorders: Diabetes Mellitus, Hemodialysis, and Gout.” In Hand Function, pp. 251-259. Springer, Cham, 2019.

At the time of writing, this study has not been cited by any other studies.

This study is Chapter 18 of a book, Hand Function: A Practical Guide to Assessment. However, I have restricted my review to the gout-related section of this chapter.

Assessing Gout Damage in Hands Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explain how gout affects hand function. Including mobility restrictions and squeezing of nerves and blood vessels. Also how to assess the extent of hand function loss.

The goal of this book is to present recent practical information to assess hand function in daily practice and scientific research […] Functional deficits of the hand caused by gout include decreased joint movement and neurovascular compression.

Jargon-free Abstract

In the jargon-free abstract I present the key points of the original abstract as it relates to gout. Replacing jargon with terms more familiar to unqualified people interested in gout. Note that my selection of jargon terms might not match yours. So please leave a note in the feedback form near the end of the page if you need clarification.

Background / Introduction
The chapter explains how gout leads to uric acid crystal deposits that affect joints and other tissues.
Methods
The author summarizes several studies showing the damage caused to hands by deposits of uric acid crystals.
Results / Findings
Though hand function diminishes as gout progresses there is no specific assessment scale for uric acid crystal damage.

Original Abstract

Patients with gout have monosodium urate crystals deposited in the tendon, joints, and nerve. Tophi leads to destructive arthropathy and presents on the fingers and volar surface of the hands. Muscle strength test, range-of-motion evaluation, hand dexterity, and daily activity tests could be conducted to assess the extent of damage in those patients. In this chapter, the musculoskeletal and the other involvements of the hand were mentioned. Additionally, the tests evaluating hand functions and index which were used for evaluating hand disability were reviewed.

Assessing Gout Damage in Hands Conclusions

As gout progresses, hand function suffers. However, there are no validated tests for gout-induced hand disability. But existing tests might be adapted for gout sufferers.

The key predictor of hand function was the number of joints of the hand with overlying gout. Measures of chronic and poorly controlled disease predict hand function. Disease activity such as the duration of the disease and the frequency of gout exacerbations also affect hand function. Tophi can damage joint functions by creating joint damage with synovitis and by limiting joint motion. There is no validated and specific hand functional disability scale developed for gout. Dalbeth et al. administered Sollerman hand function test and Disabilities of Assessment Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) to determine predictors of hand function in gout.

Gouty Tophi impair hand movement
Uric Acid Crystal Lumps Impair Hand Function

Cited By

Assessing Hand Gout Damage
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Assessing Gout Damage in Hands Vocabulary

  • MSU (monosodium urate)

    – uric acid (usually crystals) bonded with sodium and water molecules.

  • neurovascular

    – nerves and blood vessels

  • volar surface

    – palm of the hand or sole of the foot

Common Terms:

Other posts that include these terms: