Utarbeidelse av en klinisk undersøkelse av håndfunksjon hos pasienter med revmatoid artritt

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to develop a clinical assessment chart of hand function for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We collected information about hand function assessments from clinical practice in Norway, Sweden and England and did a literature review of published articles. Based on this information we designed å reliminary hand function assessment. The drafts clinical relevance of the hand function assesment was revised based on interviews with physiotherapists and patients with RA. The clinical hand function assessment consists of three parts. Part 1. A self-report form with structured questions giving information about how and to what degree, the patients hand function problems influence everyday life. Part 2. An interview where specific problems relevant to the patients are highlighted. Part 3. Assessment form including observation and specific clinical tests performed by the physiotherapist. A user manual is developed to ensure standardisation. The hand function assessment should be tested in clinical practice, revised and further developed according to experiences with its use.

Keywords

• Reumatoid arthritis
• hand function
• physiotherapy
• evidence-based practice