THU0726B-HPR THE FACTORS AFFECTING HANDWRITING SPEED IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE AN AFFECTED WRIST JOINT WITH OLIGOARTICULAR JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS
Authors: Nilay Arman, Ela Tarakci, Ozgur Kasapcopur
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Background:</h3> Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) encompasses a complex group of disorders with arthritis. Patients with JIA may experience significantly decreased life skills owing to muscular weakness, joint pain, contracture, and reduced mobility (1). Poor handwriting speed is an example of an affected life skill that has been observed by educators and clinicians for patients with chronic disease (2). <h3>Objectives:</h3> The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting handwriting speed in patients who have an affected wrist joint with oligoarticular JIA. <h3>Methods:</h3> 42 patients (aged 6–18 years) who have an affected wrist joint with oligoarticular JIA were included in this study. Muscular strength was estimated at maximal isometric force for the muscles of the upper extremities by using a portable handheld dynamometer. Grip and pinch strengths were evaluated by a dynamometer. Handwriting speed was evaluated with a sentence writing duration of 24 letters. All tests were performed thrice and the mean values of all were recorded. The correlation between all parameters was analyzed by the Pearson Correlation Test. Also, relations between the factors affecting handwriting speed in JIA were assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. <h3>Results:</h3> The mean age was 12.71±3.35 and the mean disease duration was 6.52±3.81 years. The mean of handwriting speed was 20.53±10.39 seconds. Significant relationships were found between handwriting speed and muscular strengths of shoulder and elbow (p&lt;0.05). Also, significant relationships were found between handwriting speed and lateral (r=-0.352, p=0.022), tip (r=-0.309, p=0.047) and triple (r=-0.375, p=0.015) pinch strengths. According to linear regression analysis, handwriting speed was affected by only muscle strength of elbow pronation (β=-0.515, p=0.037). <h3>Conclusion:</h3> Handwriting is a complex functional activity simultaneously involving motor skills, cognitive and visual‐perceptual processing in all chronic disease. In the current study, it was found that handwriting speed was related with shoulder and elbow muscle strengths and pinch strengths in patients with JIA. Although patients with JIA had only affected wrist joint, only muscle strength of elbow pronation was the only primary predictor of handwriting speed. We suggested that handwriting speed should be considered in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. So, accurate assessment of handwriting speed is essential for developing appropriate intervention programs and evaluating performance and outcomes in patients with JIA Besides, not only affected joint, but also all upper extremity joints should be assessed multidimensionally. *The presenter author was supported to participate to EULAR 2019 by Turkish Academy of Sciences as a winner of the Young Scientists Award Programme (GEBIP) 2018. <h3>References:</h3> [1] Gowdie, P. J., &amp; Tse, S. M. (2012). Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 59(2), 301-327. [2] Van Drempt, N., McCluskey, A., &amp; Lannin, N. A. (2011). A review of factors that influence adult handwriting performance. Australian occupational therapy journal, 58(5), 321-328. <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> None declared