Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the commonest musculoskeletal conditions, primarily affecting women over the age of 50, typically around the age of the menopause. Symptomatic disease can give rise to substantial pain, impairment of hand function and quality of life, leading to significant socioeconomic cost. There is currently no disease-modifying therapy, representing a huge unmet clinical need. The evidence for a relationship between hand OA and the menopause is summarised. Whether there is evidence for an effect of menopausal hormonal therapy on the incidence, prevalence or severity of symptomatic hand OA is critically reviewed, and gaps in our knowledge identified. Lastly, the potential mechanisms by which estrogen, or newer agents such as SERMs, might act to interfere with disease pathogenesis are overviewed. The need for specifically designed, controlled trials of agents in cohorts with symptomatic hand OA, refractory to standard symptomatic management is highlighted.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.09.007

Type

Journal article

Journal

Maturitas

Publication Date

01/2016

Volume

83

Pages

13 - 18

Keywords

Estrogen, Hand, Hormone, Menopause, Osteoarthritis, Therapy, Animals, Estrogen Replacement Therapy, Estrogens, Female, Hand, Humans, Incidence, Menopause, Osteoarthritis, Prevalence, Quality of Life, Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators, Severity of Illness Index