Erschienen in:
01.04.2014 | Symposium: Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthritis
Relationship of Relaxin Hormone and Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis
verfasst von:
Jennifer Moriatis Wolf, MD, Danielle L. Scher, MD, Eric W. Etchill, MPH, Frank Scott, MD, Allison E. Williams, PhD, Steven Delaronde, MPH, MSW, Karen B. King, PhD
Erschienen in:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®
|
Ausgabe 4/2014
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Abstract
Background
The female predominance in thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis has led to speculation that reproductive hormones or hypermobility are responsible. Evidence shows that patients with pathologic laxity have a higher rate of thumb CMC arthritis. Relaxin hormone increases laxity in the pelvic ligaments through upregulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). It is thus a hormone of interest in the development of thumb CMC arthritis.
Questions/purposes
Our goals were to identify demographic and hormonal factors associated with joint laxity in patients with CMC arthritis and to evaluate the relationship among serum relaxin, relaxin receptors, and MMPs in the anterior oblique ligament (AOL) of the thumb. We hypothesized that serum relaxin was correlated with joint laxity as well as with relaxin receptors and MMPs in the AOL.
Methods
Forty-nine patients undergoing thumb CMC arthroplasty underwent laxity examination, blood draw, and AOL sampling. Ligaments were analyzed for relaxin receptor and MMPs 1 and 3 using quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
Results
Women demonstrated more joint laxity than men (p < 0.001). RNA analysis confirmed relaxin receptors in the AOL as well as MMPs 1 and 3. There was a significant correlation between serum relaxin and MMP-1 (p = 0.04). Detectable serum relaxin was negatively correlated with relaxin receptors in the AOL (p = 0.02).
Conclusions
Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of laxity and sex hormones in thumb CMC arthritis.
Clinical Relevance
Relaxin hormone may play a role in the development of arthritis at the thumb CMC joint.
Level of Evidence
Level I, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.