Hand function assessment in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: usefulness of duruöz hand index

Methods Patients diagnosed as JIA according to ILAR criteria in Pediatric Rheumatology Department of Dokuz Eylül University Hospital were consecutively enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Demographic, clinical and functional characteristics of patients were evaluated. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, patients’ and physicians’ global VAS, number of involved joints were recorded as nonfunctional parameters related to active disease status. Functional assessment was performed by DHI, Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ), Purdue Pegboard, grip strength and 3 kinds of pinch strengths. The correlation of DHI was assessed with the other functional parameters as well as non-functional parameters by Spearman’s test. We also compared the functional parameters of patients with hand involvement with the ones who did not have involvement. The study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics committee and informed contents were obtained.