Extracorporeal Shock Waves Therapy (ESWT) vs Exercise in Thumb Osteoarthritis

Hand Injuries Clinical Trial

— SWEX-TO  

Official title:

Effect of ESWT Versus Exercise Treatment for Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis: a Randomized Trial.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06056765
• Other study ID #: SWEX-TO
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 1, 2024
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2026

Study information

• Verified date: September 2023
• Source: Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease with a high prevalence and a negative impact on the quality of life and a high economic burden. The most common form of OA is that involving the hands, which affects females three times more often. OA of the base of the first finger is present in 21% of the population over 40 years of age and is more frequently related to pain and disability than OA of the interphalangeal joint. In addition to pain, it can cause deformity, stiffness, reduced mobility and strength, resulting in difficulty performing common activities such as opening vessels, carrying weights and writing.

OA of the base of the first toe is mainly treated with conservative modalities, while surgical treatment will be reserved for those whose debilitating symptoms persist despite adequate conservative management. Surgical management, however, is associated with a number of complications, including tendon rupture, sensory changes, and wound infection.

Although a number of conservative therapies have proven effective for the management of hand OA, there are few high-quality clinical studies in the literature to date.

Description:

The review of the literature has shown that in thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis the use of braces leads to a reduction in pain, particularly in the long term, based on data from two studies. Additionally, hand exercises could improve grip strength and hand function.

Regarding pharmacological management, insufficient data are available to support the effectiveness of intra-articular therapy with corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid and their use is not recommended by the American College of Rheumatology guidelines (ACR) of 2012 . On the other hand, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are recommended to relieve pain associated with first toe base OA, and topical formulations are recommended over oral NSAIDs in more recent guidelines, due to a profile of superior security. However, their effect on function is minimal and transient (no more effective than placebo after 2 weeks).

The combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological modalities in the management of hand OA is recommended by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines and is frequently used in clinical practice. Despite this, direct evidence of the effectiveness of this strategy is lacking. There have been some studies evaluating combined treatment, although they have generally not been specific to OA of the base of the first toe. Furthermore, the combinations studied usually included exclusively nonpharmacological modalities, and to date no strategy has been found to be highly effective for improving pain and function for first toe base OA.

Determining an evidence-based treatment approach with a clinically significant effect on clinical outcomes would provide healthcare providers with a basis for decision making for the treatment of patients with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. This strategy does not yet exist, and decisions about the best combination of interventions are generally based on personal experience and the personal opinion of healthcare professionals.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 72
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2026
• Est. primary completion date: December 31, 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• arthrosis of the trapezoid-metacarpal with stage 1 or 2 of the Eaton-Littler radiographic classification and pain (recent radiograph within 6 months previously);

• clinical picture that has been occurring for at least 6 months;

• pain scored with VAS scale at least 4/10.

Exclusion Criteria:

• rheumatoid arthritis or outcomes of trauma in the affected area,

• contra-indications to treatment with shock waves (neoplasia, pregnancy, thrombocytopenia, epilepsy, uncompensated heart disease or arrhythmia, pacemaker, local infections),

• corticosteroid infiltration or physical therapy in the previous 4 weeks.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hand Injuries
• Osteoarthritis
• Thumb Osteoarthritis

Intervention

Device:
• "Minilith", Storz, Swiss
shock waves

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Italy	Angela Notarnicola	Bari

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Italy, 

References & Publications (15)

Brinks A, Koes BW, Volkers AC, Verhaar JA, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. Adverse effects of extra-articular corticosteroid injections: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 Sep 13;11:206. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-11-206. — View Citation

Cavaleri R, Schabrun SM, Te M, Chipchase LS. Hand therapy versus corticosteroid injections in the treatment of de Quervain's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hand Ther. 2016 Jan-Mar;29(1):3-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2015.10.004. Epub 2015 Nov 6. — View Citation

Henry KD, Rosemond C, Eckert LB. Effect of number of home exercises on compliance and performance in adults over 65 years of age. Phys Ther. 1999 Mar;79(3):270-7. — View Citation

Hochberg MC, Altman RD, April KT, Benkhalti M, Guyatt G, McGowan J, Towheed T, Welch V, Wells G, Tugwell P; American College of Rheumatology. American College of Rheumatology 2012 recommendations for the use of nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies in osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012 Apr;64(4):465-74. doi: 10.1002/acr.21596. — View Citation

Kjeken I, Smedslund G, Moe RH, Slatkowsky-Christensen B, Uhlig T, Hagen KB. Systematic review of design and effects of splints and exercise programs in hand osteoarthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011 Jun;63(6):834-48. doi: 10.1002/acr.20427. — View Citation

Lane LB, Boretz RS, Stuchin SA. Treatment of de Quervain's disease:role of conservative management. J Hand Surg Br. 2001 Jun;26(3):258-60. doi: 10.1054/jhsb.2001.0568. — View Citation

Mobargha N, Esplugas M, Garcia-Elias M, Lluch A, Megerle K, Hagert E. The effect of individual isometric muscle loading on the alignment of the base of the thumb metacarpal: a cadaveric study. J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2016 May;41(4):374-9. doi: 10.1177/1753193415597114. Epub 2015 Aug 6. — View Citation

Moulton MJ, Parentis MA, Kelly MJ, Jacobs C, Naidu SH, Pellegrini VD Jr. Influence of metacarpophalangeal joint position on basal joint-loading in the thumb. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001 May;83(5):709-16. doi: 10.2106/00004623-200105000-00009. — View Citation

O'Brien VH, Giveans MR. Effects of a dynamic stability approach in conservative intervention of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb: a retrospective study. J Hand Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;26(1):44-51; quiz 52. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2012.10.005. Epub 2012 Nov 21. — View Citation

Pellegrini VD Jr. Osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb. Orthop Clin North Am. 1992 Jan;23(1):83-102. — View Citation

Peters-Veluthamaningal C, Winters JC, Groenier KH, Meyboom-DeJong B. Randomised controlled trial of local corticosteroid injections for de Quervain's tenosynovitis in general practice. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2009 Oct 27;10:131. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-10-131. — View Citation

Pisano K, Wolfe T, Lubahn J, Cooney T. Effect of a stabilization exercise program versus standard treatment for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: A randomized trial. J Hand Ther. 2023 Jul-Sep;36(3):546-559. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2022.03.009. Epub 2022 Jul 8. — View Citation

Stepan JG, London DA, Boyer MI, Calfee RP. Blood glucose levels in diabetic patients following corticosteroid injections into the hand and wrist. J Hand Surg Am. 2014 Apr;39(4):706-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.01.014. — View Citation

Trellu S, Dadoun S, Berenbaum F, Fautrel B, Gossec L. Intra-articular injections in thumb osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Joint Bone Spine. 2015 Oct;82(5):315-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jbspin.2015.02.002. Epub 2015 Mar 14. — View Citation

Zhang W, Doherty M, Leeb BF, Alekseeva L, Arden NK, Bijlsma JW, Dincer F, Dziedzic K, Hauselmann HJ, Herrero-Beaumont G, Kaklamanis P, Lohmander S, Maheu E, Martin-Mola E, Pavelka K, Punzi L, Reiter S, Sautner J, Smolen J, Verbruggen G, Zimmermann-Gorska I. EULAR evidence based recommendations for the management of hand osteoarthritis: report of a Task Force of the EULAR Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutics (ESCISIT). Ann Rheum Dis. 2007 Mar;66(3):377-88. doi: 10.1136/ard.2006.062091. Epub 2006 Oct 17. — View Citation

* Note: There are 15 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	recovery of pain	The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."	change between baseline to 1 month
Primary	recovery of pain	The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."	change between baseline to 3 months
Primary	recovery of pain	The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."	change between baseline to 6 months
Primary	recovery of pain	The visual analog scale (VAS) is a validated, subjective measure for acute and chronic pain. Scores are recorded by making a handwritten mark on a 10-cm line that represents a continuum between "no pain" and "worst pain."	change between baseline to 12 months
Secondary	functional recovery	The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.	change between baseline to 1 month
Secondary	functional recovery	The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand foot problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.	change between baseline to 3 months
Secondary	functional recovery	The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.	change between baseline to 6 months
Secondary	functional recovery	The Functional Index of Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) measures the effect of hand problems on function in terms of pain and disability.The scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present. The scores range from 0 to 30; the higher the score, the more limitation/pain/disability is present.	change between baseline to 12 months
Secondary	disability recovery	The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability.	change between baseline to 1 month
Secondary	disability recovery	The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability.	change between baseline to 3 months
Secondary	disability recovery	The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability.	change between baseline to 6 months
Secondary	disability recovery	The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (QuickDash) contains 11 questions related to ability and pain in the past week. Scores range from 0 to 100; the higher the score, the greater the limitation/pain/disability.	change between baseline to 12 months
Secondary	perception of clinical improvement	Maudsley and Roles scale scores range from 0-4 points for excellent to poor	change between 3 to 6 months
Secondary	perception of clinical improvement	Maudsley and Roles scale scores range from 0-4 points for excellent to poor	change between 3 to 12 months