Table 5.
Summary of the higher-quality evidence for treating impairments and function in individuals with hand osteoarthritis
| Treatment goals | Joints | Intervention | LOE | Quality: score on PEDro scale | Outcome tool | SMD (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain reduction | CMC + IP | Splints: long-term night use (>12 months) [31] | 1b | 8 | VAS | 4.24 (3.52, 4.97) |
| Improve hand function | CMC + IP | Splints: Short-term night use (1 month) [31] | 1b | 8 | CHFS | 1.10 (0.68, 1.52) |
| Splints: Long-term night use (>12 months) [31] | 3.73 (3.05,4.40) | |||||
| CMC + IP | Joint protection education plus home exercise program [34] | 2b | 6 | HAQ | NA, P < 0.05 | |
| Improve hand strength | CMC + IP | Splints: Short-term night use (1 month) [31] | 1b | 8 | Pinch (Dy) | 0.9 (0.5, 1.3) |
| Splints: Long-term night use (>12 months) [31] | 1.2 (0.8, 1.6) | |||||
| CMC + IP | Joint protection education plus home exercise program [34] | 2b | 6 | Grip (V) | 4.5 (3.3, 5.7) | |
| Improve range of motion | CMC + IP | Splints: Long-term night use (>12 months) [31] | 1b | 8 | KI | 3.30 (2.7, 3.9) |
| CMC | Low-level laser (20 minutes/session × 3 sessions/week) [24] | 1b | 10 | G | NA, P = 0.011 | |
| Decrease stiffness | - | - | - | - | - | - |
CHFS, Cochin hand functional scale; CI, confidence intervals for continuous variables; CMC, carpometacarpal; Dy, dynamometer(s); G, goniometer (s); HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; IP, interphalangeal; KI, Kapandji index (thumb opposition); LOE, level of evidence (Oxford); NA, standardized mean difference not estimable; PEDro, Physiotherapy Evidence Database; SMD, standardized mean difference; V, vigorimeter VAS, visual analogue scale.