Topical analgesics relieved pain, but deemed ineffective for treatment of hand, wrist OA
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BOSTON — Use of topical analgesics significantly improved pain scores in most patients with symptomatic hand and wrist osteoarthritis; however, according to researchers, the treatment is an undesirable long-term maintenance therapy option.
“Hand and wrist osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent upper extremity condition, with every one in two women and one in four men experiencing symptoms by the age of 85 [years], which strongly limits their activities of daily living,” Yuchen Liu, BS, said in her presentation at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting. “Oral analgesics were commonly prescribed to manage their symptoms; however, long-term use was associated with adverse side effects,” Liu added.
Liu and colleagues distributed a 26-question survey to 100 adults with OA of the hand or wrist. Outcome measures included VAS pain scores, as well as patient-reported changes in swelling, stiffness and overall improvement of condition.
Of the 80 patients who completed the survey, 51 patients (63.75%) reported use of topical analgesics. Patients who used topical analgesics had higher pain scores (by an average of 18 points) compared with those who did not use topical analgesics, and their VAS pain scores improved an average of 24.8 points immediately after application of a topical analgesic. However, 63.46% of patients who used topical analgesics reported mild or no improvement in their condition; 39.6% of patients reported no improvement in stiffness; and 41.8% of patients reported no improvement in swelling.
Liu concluded that while topical analgesics are effective for some degree of pain relief, discrepancies between pain scores and patients’ perception of efficacy suggest this treatment is an “undesirable” long-term maintenance therapy option for hand and wrist OA.
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Liu Y, et al. Paper 55. Presented at: American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting; Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2022; Boston.
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