Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of 180 patients with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis stratified by study groups
| Total (n=180) | Occupational therapy group (n=90) | Control group (n=90) | |
| Personal factors | |||
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 63.0 (7.6) | 62.8 (7.5) | 63.3 (7.8) |
| Women, n (%) | 142 (79) | 73 (81) | 69 (77) |
| Living alone, n (%) | 35 (19) | 17 (19) | 18 (20) |
| Employed, n (%) | 91 (51) | 48 (53) | 43 (48) |
| Education at university level, n (%) | 63 (35) | 15 (16) | 12 (13) |
| Hand dominance, right, n (%) | 168 (93) | 81 (90) | 87 (97) |
| Motivation for CMCJ surgery (0–10, 0=no motivation), median (IQR) | 5 (3 to 8) | 5 (3 to 8) | 5 (3 to 8) |
| Disease factors | |||
| Comorbidities, yes, n (%) | 117 (65) | 58 (64) | 59 (66) |
| Symptom duration, years, median (IQR) | 5 (2 to 10) | 5 (2 to 10) | 5 (2 to 10) |
| Previous hand surgery, yes, n (%) | 36 (21) | 22 (26) | 14 (16) |
| Referred for hand surgery: in the right hand, n (%) | 53 (29) | 31 (34) | 17 (19) |
| in the left hand, n (%) | 48 (27) | 24 (27) | 29 (32) |
| in both hands, n (%) | 70 (44) | 35 (39) | 44 (49) |
| Previous non-pharmacological treatment, yes, n (%) | 37 (21) | 16 (19) | 21 (25) |
| Analgesics (anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication), n (%) | 114 (63) | 57 (63) | 57 (63) |
| Body structures | |||
| Radiographic CMCJ OA severity (grades 0–4, 0=no CMCJ OA), median (IQR) | 3 (3 to 4) | 3 (3 to 4) | 3 (3 to 4) |
| Presence of clinical CMCJ subluxation, n (%) | 113 (68) | 58 (72) | 55 (65) |
| Number of finger joints with clinical nodes (0–9 IPJ on each hand), median (IQR) | 0 (0 to 0) | 0 (0 to 3) | 0 (0 to 2) |
| Body functions | |||
| Painful finger joints (MCPJ, IP, PIPJ, DIPJ: 0–14 joints on each hand), median (IQR) | 2 (1 to 5) | 3 (1 to 5) | 2 (0 to 5) |
| Flexion deficit second to fifth fingers, mm, median (IQR) | 0 (0 to 1) | 0 (0 to 4) | 0 (0 to 0) |
| Range of motion thumb IP, degrees, median (IQR) | 70 (60 to 78) | 70 (59 to 76) | 70 (61 to 80) |
| Range of motion MCP1, degrees, median (IQR) | 50 (42 to 58) | 50 (40 to 56) | 52 (44 to 60) |
| Abduction CMCJ, degrees, median (IQR) | 36 (31 to 43) | 36 (30 to 42) | 37 (32 to 43) |
| Pinch strength referred hand, mean (SD) | 31.8 (16.8) | 30.9 (14.7) | 32.8 (18.6) |
| Grip strength referred hand, mean (SD) | 185 (105.0) | 177.7 (96.7) | 192.3 (112.8) |
| Pinch strength referred hand (% of normal pinch strength), mean (SD) | 61 (24.9) | 61 (24.2) | 62 (25.7) |
| Grip strength referred hand (% of normal grip strength), mean (SD) | 64 (25.4) | 63 (25.5) | 66 (25.5) |
| Pain following measure of pinch strength (0–10, 0=no pain), median (IQR) | 4 (2 to 6) | 3 (1 to 6) | 4 (2 to 5) |
| Pain following measure of grip strength (0–10, 0=no pain), median (IQR) | 3 (2 to 5) | 3 (1 to 5) | 3 (2 to 5) |
| Pain at rest (0–10 scale), median (IQR) | 3 (1 to 4) | 3 (1 to 4) | 3 (2 to 5) |
| Activity and participation | |||
| Hand activity performance (1–4, 1=no activity problems), mean (SD) | 1.97 (0.42) | 1.97 (0.44) | 1.97 (0.40) |
| Disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (0–100, 0=no disability), mean (SD) | 36.9 (16.5) | 35.7 (16.9) | 38.0 (16.2) |
Numbers are reported as mean and SD, number and proportions (%), or median and IQR. Radiographic carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis (CMCJ OA) severity is classified using modified Kellgren-Lawrence grade (KLG) scale (grades 0–4, 0=no CMCJ OA). Pain is self-reported using numeric rating scale (NRS 0–10, 0=no pain). Grip and pinch strength is measured in Newton (N) using the Grippit electronic instrument. Range of motion is measured in degrees with goniometer. Palmar abduction thumb and CMCJ abduction is measured in degrees using the Pollexograph. Hand activity performance is measured using MAP-Hand (1–4, 1=no activity problems). Disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand is measured using QuickDASH (0–100, 0=no disability).
DIPJ, distal interphalangeal joints; IP, thumb interphalangeal joint; IPJ, interphalangeal joints; MCPJ, metacarpophalangeal joint thumb; MCPJ, metacarpophalangeal joints; PIPJ, proximal interphalangeal joints.