OBJECTIVE: The aim was to establish reference curves of the Australian/Canadian @entity571 Index (AUSCAN), a widely used questionnaire assessing hand complaints. METHODS: Analyses were performed in a population-based sample, The Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study (n = 6671, aged 45-65 years). Factors associated with AUSCAN scores were analysed with ordered logistic regression, because AUSCAN data were zero inflated, dividing AUSCAN into three categories (0 vs 1-5 vs >5). Age- and sex-specific reference curves for the AUSCAN (range 0-60; higher is worse) were developed using quantile regression in conjunction with fractional polynomials. Observed scores in relevant subgroups were compared with the reference curves. RESULTS: The median age was 56 [interquartile range (IQR): 50-61] years; 56% were @entity1 and 12% had hand @entity571 according to ACR criteria. AUSCAN scores were low (median 1; IQR: 0-4). Reference curves where higher for @entity1 , and increased moderately with age: 95% percentiles for AUSCAN in @entity1 and @entity1 were, respectively, 5.0 and 12.3 points for a 45-year-old, and 15.2 and 33.6 points for a 65-year-old individual. Additional associated factors included hand @entity571 , inflammatory @entity627 , FM, socio-economic status and BMI. Median @entity158 subscale scores of @entity1 with hand @entity571 lay between the 75th and 90th centiles of the general population. CONCLUSION: AUSCAN scores in the middle-aged Dutch population were low overall, and higher in @entity1 than in @entity1 . AUSCAN reference curves could serve as a benchmark in research and clinical practice settings. However, the AUSCAN does not measure hand complaints specific for hand @entity571 .

Reference curves for the Australian/Canadian XXXX Index in the middle-aged Dutch population.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'men'] @entity627 :: ('MESH:D012216', 'Disease') :: ['rheumatic diseases'] @entity571 :: ('MESH:D010003', 'Disease') :: ['Hand Osteoarthritis', 'OA'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['AUSCAN pain']
@entity571 :: (MESH:D010003,Disease) :: ['Hand Osteoarthritis']
