Hand grip and key pinch strength in patients with Behçet's disease

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ayan, Irfan^a | Tursen, Umit^b | Gurer, Burak^c | Colak, Mehmet^a | Usta, Aysegul^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Mersin University, School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey | [b] Department of Dematology, Mersin University, School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey | [c] Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Mersin University, School of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Irfan Ayan, Mersin Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Hastanesi, Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji AD, Zeytinlibahce mah., 33079, Mersin, Turkey. Tel.: +90 324 3374300; Fax: +90 324 3374305; E-mail: irfanayan@hotmail.com

Abstract: Background: Behcet's disease is predominantly an inflammatory disease with oral and genital ulcus, uveitis and erythema nodosum. It is a chronic disease with unprecetended remission and activation periods. Behçet's disease may also affect extremities in the form of arthritis, myositis, enthesis, tenosynovitis and dactylitis. The most affected joints are knee, wrist – hand, ankle and elbow. A history of sytemic inflammatory disease in a patient with a hand disease or a one who is a candidate for hand surgery may affect the surgical procedure and post-operative rehabilitation. Thus recognition of this condition is essential for the hand surgeon, physiotherapist, and the patient. Objective: To evaluate the impact of Beh\c{c}et's disease on grip and key pinch strength. Subjects: Fifty (31 male, 19 female) patients with Behçet's disease and 50 (32 male, 18 female) controls. Results: Hand grip and key pinch strength of Behçet's patients did not differ from that of normal subjects. Conclusions: Behçet's disease does not seem to affect grip and pinch strength.

Keywords: Hand grip, key pinch, Behçet's disease, hand

DOI: 10.3233/IES-2008-0310

Journal: Isokinetics and Exercise Science, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 207-211, 2008