New Jersey [US], February 4 : Rhizarthrosis, commonly known as trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, is a kind of osteoarthritis of the thumb. Splints and surgery are among the treatment possibilities. Researchers observed a lot of genetic differences between individuals with rhizarthrosis who had surgery and those who chose nonsurgical therapy.
The study, published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, included 1,083 surgical and 1,888 nonsurgical patients with rhizarthrosis, as well as 205,371 osteoarthritis-free controls.
Researchers discovered seven genetic variants that may be associated with surgical rhizarthrosis and three variants that appear to be associated with nonsurgical rhizarthrosis. They emphasized that identifying genetic differences between these patient groups could reveal biological pathways influencing various features of rhizarthrosis.
"Our findings delve into the genetic architecture of osteoarthritis in the thumb base, hinting at a potential genetic influence on the need for surgery," said corresponding author Cecilie Henkel, MD, PhD, of Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, in Denmark.
"While no solid conclusions about the effect of specific genetic variants on the need for surgical treatment should be made at this stage, our study marks a stride towards integrating genetic insights into the clinical management of osteoarthritis, with the long-term aim of refining diagnosis, treatment, and preventative strategies for this common and debilitating disease."
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