RESEARCH - Early occupationaly therapy program increases hand grip strength in early RA

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 Mar;68(3):400-3.

Early occupational therapy programme increases hand grip strength at 3

months: results from a randomised, blind, controlled study in early

rheumatoid arthritis.

Mathieux R, Marotte H, Battistini L, Sarrazin A, Berthier M, Miossec P.

Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Immunology, Hôpital Edouard

Herriot, Lyon, France.

AIM: The goal of occupational therapy (OT) is to facilitate

adjustments to lifestyle and to prevent function loss. This study

evaluated the effects of an early OT programme in early rheumatoid

arthritis (RA).

METHODS: We conducted a randomised, blind, controlled trial enrolling

60 patients with early RA, divided into 2 groups. At baseline, group 1

received the full information programme and group 2 received no

information. In an extension phase, patients in group 2 received the

full information programme at 3 months and were assessed at 6 months.

The main outcomes were grip strength of hands (as objective

assessment) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score (as

subjective assessment).

RESULTS: At 3 months, grip strength of the dominant and non-dominant

hands increased more in group 1 than in group 2 (p = 0.021 and 0.047

respectively). HAQ score decreased more in group 1 than in group 2

(p<0.001). In the extension phase, changes in grip strength and HAQ

score in group 2 were similar to those seen in group 1 between

baseline and 3 months.

CONCLUSIONS: This study comparing two schedules of OT programme showed

that an early extended information programme improved hand function in

patients with early RA.

PMID: 19015209

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19015209

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