Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Statistical Analysis Identifies Non-Axial Involvement in Most Cases
Mateus Marino Lamari,
Neuseli Marino Lamari,
Michael Peres de Medeiros,
Matheus Gomes Giacomini,
Adriana Barbosa Santos,
Gerardo Maria de Araújo Filho,
Eny Maria Goloni-Bertollo,
Érika Cristina Pavarino
Affiliations
Mateus Marino Lamari
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Neuseli Marino Lamari
Department of Neurological Sciences, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Michael Peres de Medeiros
Department of Neurological Sciences, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Matheus Gomes Giacomini
Foundation of the Regional Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FUNFARME), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5544, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Adriana Barbosa Santos
Department of Computer Science and Statistics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), R. Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, Jardim Nazareth, São José do Rio Preto 15054-000, SP, Brazil
Gerardo Maria de Araújo Filho
Department of Neurological Sciences, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Eny Maria Goloni-Bertollo
Genetics and Molecular Biology Research Unit, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Érika Cristina Pavarino
Genetics and Molecular Biology Research Unit, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, Vila São Pedro, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Context: Joint hypermobility (JH) represents the extreme of the normal range of motion or a condition for a group of genetically determined connective tissue disorders. Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) is suspected when present in all four limbs and the axial skeleton, scored in prepubescent children and adolescents by a Beighton Score (BS) ≥ 6. Parameters are also used to identify GJH in hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSDs). The purpose of this study is to characterize children with JH based on the location of variables in the BS ≥ 6 and identify children with JH in the axial skeleton, upper limbs (ULs), and lower limbs (LLs) simultaneously. Methods: We analyzed 124 medical records of one- to nine-year-old children with JH by BS. Results: The characterization of GJH by combinations of the axial skeleton, ULs, and LLs simultaneously totaled 25.7%. BS = 6 and BS = 8 consisted of variables located in ULs and LLs. BS = 7 included the axial skeleton, ULs, and LLs. BS ≥ 6 represents the majority of the sample and predominantly girls. Conclusions: BS ≥ 6 represents the majority of the sample and predominantly girls. Most characterized children with GJH present BS = 6 and BS = 8 with variables located only in ULs and LLs, a condition that does not imply the feature is generalized. In children, BS = 7 and BS = 9 characterize GJH by including the axial skeleton, ULs, and LLs. These results draw attention to the implications for defining the diagnosis of hEDS and HSDs.
