FRI0623-HPR HEALTHCARE RESOURCE USE IN PATIENTS WITH TRAPEZIOMETACARPAL OSTEOARTHRITIS
Authors: T. Hamasaki, P. Harris, N. Bureau, N. Gaudreault, N. Patenaude, M. Choinière
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2020)

Background: Trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (TMO) is one of the most debilitating forms of hand osteoarthritis (OA). According to the recent EULAR guidelines 1, 2 and a systematic review, 3 the efficacy of topical/oral non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), orthoses, hand exercises, and psychosocial interventions for hand OA or TMO are supported by scientific evidence. Cortisone injections and acetaminophen are generally not recommended. 1, 3 Besides, TMO management is suboptimal: only 21% of patients receive rehabilitative interventions prior to referral to hand surgeons. 4 Objectives: We aimed at documenting the types of treatment TMO patients employ and their healthcare resource use. Methods: A total of 227 TMO patients recruited from 16 healthcare institutions completed a questionnaire about 1) received interventions, 2) analgesic strategies, and 3) healthcare professional consultations. Results: Acetaminophen (64.3% of the participants), oral NSAIDs (31.7%), topical NSAIDs (11.9%), and nutraceuticals (7.9%) were the most commonly used medications. More than 70% of the participants reported having received cortisone injection(s) (72.5%) and orthosis (75.7%). More than half employed hand exercises, massage and heat/cold application. Relaxation/respiration, meditation, distraction, assistive devices, and joint protection principles were used by smaller percentages of participants (13.0-30.9%). Patients with TMO reported having consulted various types of healthcare professionals: family physicians, plastic/orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists-interventionists, rheumatologists, physiatrists, occupational/physical therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, pharmacists, and acupuncturists. Only 4.8% of the participants reported having received psychosocial interventions. Conclusion: TMO patients use numerous types of modalities to relieve their pain. Provision of evidence-based interventions tailored to their needs is clearly needed. References: [1] Kloppenburg M, Kroon FP, Blanco FJ, et al. 2018 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of hand osteoarthritis. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2019;78:16-24. [2] Geenen R, Overman CL, Christensen R, et al. EULAR recommendations for the health professional’s approach to pain management in inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2018;77:797-807. [3] Hamasaki T, Laprise S, Harris PG, et al. Efficacy of non-surgical interventions for trapeziometacarpal (thumb base) osteoarthritis: A systematic review. Arthritis Care &amp; Research. 2019; In press ( https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24084 ). [4] Gravås EMH, Tveter AT, Nossum R, et al. Non-pharmacological treatment gap preceding surgical consultation in thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis - a cross-sectional study. BMC musculoskeletal disorders. 2019;20:180-180. Acknowledgments: This study was supported by a discretionary fund of the Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM) to Choinière and from the Multidisciplinary Council of the CHUM. Hamasaki was supported by a Doctoral training award of the Fonds de recherche du Québec—Santé, a doctoral scholarship from the CHUM Foundation to Harris (Hand Surgery Branch) and from Choinière’s internal funds of the CRCHUM. Disclosure of Interests: None declared