New Paper Release
Check out Birte Coppers new article “Hand function impairments are more pronounced in female RA and PsA patients and also found in patients without concurrent hand inflammation”, which has now been published in the latest issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (MSSE).
Hand function is a key determinant of quality of life in patients with inflammatory arthritis, yet it remains understudied—especially in PsA patients.
Key findings:
♀️ Female RA and PsA patients show similar levels of hand function impairment
♂️ Male patients demonstrate better preserved grip strength
✋ All patients show significantly impaired fine motor skills
💪📉 Lower power grasp strength is associated with higher disease activity in RA
⏱️📈 Prolonged fine-motor skill performance time relates to higher disease activity in PsA
🔥✋ Hand function impairements persist even without concurrent hand inflammation
👉 Objective hand function assessment may complement traditional clinical measures, supporting a more holistic understanding of disease burden and quality of life.
Acknowledgments
This publication is the result of collaborative efforts: Simon Heinrich, Dr. med. Sara Bayat, Koray Tascilar, Prof. Dr. med Arnd Kleyer, Prof. David Simon, Ioanna Minopoulou, Giulia Corte,Filippo Fagni, Verena Schönau, Sigrid Leyendecker, Georg Schett, Anna-Maria Liphardt.