Ultrasound and Electrophysiology Study of Hand in Systemic Sclerosis Patients and Contributors of Hand Dysfunction
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Scleroderma, Hand Functionality, Quality of Life (QOL). Basic parameters: 18 years — 60 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Electrophysiological Evaluation of the Hand in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis: Relation to Hand Dysfunction and Quality of Life
Overview
The goal of this research is to assess quality of life and hand function in systemic sclerosis patients via specific questionnaires, and to determine the main contributors to hand dysfunction via a thorough hand ultrasound study and electrophysiology study.
Detailed description
Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a rare multiorgan autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and fibrosis. Its prevalence rates vary greatly by geographic area from 9.3 to 660 per million.
The disease is primarily observed in individuals aged 35 to 55 years, with females being four to six times more affected than males. Hand involvement is an early manifestation of systemic SSc. It's recognized as a major driver of disability and diminished quality of life .
Managing hand pain can be particularly challenging due to the coexistence of non-inflammatory arthralgia, inflammatory arthritis, acro-osteolysis, tenosynovitis, joint contractures, tendon friction rubs, nerve entrapment, Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ulcers, sclerodactyly, calcinosis and chronic pain. Due to the multifactorial etiology of hand functional disability in SSc, it is important to define the contribution of each factor or structure to this issue. This understanding is essential for developing a rehabilitation and medical treatment oriented approach to disease management. While physical examination and radiographs are the first line methods for evaluating hand pain, they are limited in scope and miss many underlying etiologies of hand impairment.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) is rapidly becoming a mainstay diagnostic tool in the assessment of rheumatic diseases due to its low cost, portability, and safety as a non-ionizing imaging modality. The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Ultrasound working group has provided definitions for pathologic lesions seen in rheumatic disorders, which offers a valuable framework for the assessment of hand impairment in SSc.
Primary outcome measures
- Quality of life in systemic sclerosis patients [Time frame: 2 years]
- Hand function in systemic sclerosis patients . [Time frame: 2 years]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Adult SSc Patients ( >18 yrs ) who are fulfilling the The EULAR/ACR 2013 classification criteria
Exclusion criteria
- Individuals with other autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus, sjogren syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease).
- Usage of drugs that can cause peripheral neuropathy and chronic alcohol abuse history.
- Presence of diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction and renal failure
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Publications
- Duruoz MT, Poiraudeau S, Fermanian J, Menkes CJ, Amor B, Dougados M, Revel M. Development and validation of a rheumatoid hand functional disability scale that assesses functional handicap. J Rheumatol. 1996 Jul;23(7):1167-72. PMID 8823687
- Steen VD, Medsger TA Jr. The value of the Health Assessment Questionnaire and special patient-generated scales to demonstrate change in systemic sclerosis patients over time. Arthritis Rheum. 1997 Nov;40(11):1984-91. doi: 10.1002/art.1780401110. PMID 9365087
- Lins L, Carvalho FM. SF-36 total score as a single measure of health-related quality of life: Scoping review. SAGE Open Med. 2016 Oct 4;4:2050312116671725. doi: 10.1177/2050312116671725. eCollection 2016. PMID 27757230
- Li L, Cui Y, Chen S, Zhao Q, Fu T, Ji J, Li L, Gu Z. The impact of systemic sclerosis on health-related quality of life assessed by SF-36: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Rheum Dis. 2018 Nov;21(11):1884-1893. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.13438. Epub 2018 Nov 14. PMID 30428506
- Tore NG, Sari F, Sarac DC, Baglan Yentur S, Satis H, Avanoglu Guler A, Haznedaroglu S, Oskay D. Inter-rater reliability of modified hand mobility in scleroderma test. Int J Rheum Dis. 2020 Feb;23(2):203-206. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.13750. Epub 2019 Nov 19. PMID 31746119
- Sandqvist G, Nilsson JA, Wuttge DM, Hesselstrand R. Development of a modified hand mobility in scleroderma (HAMIS) test and its potential as an outcome measure in systemic sclerosis. J Rheumatol. 2014 Nov;41(11):2186-92. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.140286. Epub 2014 Oct 1. PMID 25274889
- Torok KS, Baker NA, Lucas M, Domsic RT, Boudreau R, Medsger TA Jr. Reliability and validity of the delta finger-to-palm (FTP), a new measure of finger range of motion in systemic sclerosis. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2010 Mar-Apr;28(2 Suppl 58):S28-36. Epub 2010 Jun 10. PMID 20576211
- Aids to the Investigation of Peripheral Nerve Injuries. Revised second edition., Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1943
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06776575 · hand ultrasound SSc patients