Incidence of microvascular complications in type 1 diabetic subjects with limited joint mobility: a 10-year prospective study

Quantification of joint mobility limitation in adult type 1 diabetes

Aims

Diabetic cheiroarthropathies limit hand mobility due to fibrosis and could be markers of a global profibrotic trajectory. Heterogeneity in definitions and lack of a method to measure it complicate studying associations with organ involvement and treatment outcomes. We measured metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint extension as a metric and describe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging determinants of MCP restriction.

Methods

Adults with type 1 diabetes were screened for hand manifestations using a symptom questionnaire, clinical examination, and function [Duruoz hand index (DHI) and grip strength]. Patients were segregated by mean MCP extension (<20°, 20°-40°, 40°-60°, and >60°) for MR imaging (MRI) scanning. Patients in the four groups were compared using ANOVA for clinical features and MRI tissue measurements (tenosynovial, skin, and fascia thickness). We performed multiple linear regression for determinants of MCP extension.

Results

Of the 237 patients (90 men), 79 (33.8%) with cheiroarthropathy had MCP extension limitation (39° versus 61°, p < 0.01). Groups with limited MCP extension had higher DHI (1.9 vs. 0.2) but few (7%) had pain. Height, systolic blood pressure, and nephropathy were associated with mean MCP extension. Hand MRI (n = 61) showed flexor tenosynovitis in four patients and median neuritis in one patient. Groups with MCP mobility restriction had the thickest palmar skin; tendon thickness or median nerve area did not differ. Only mean palmar skin thickness was associated with MCP extension angle on multiple linear regression.

Conclusion

Joint mobility limitation was quantified by restricted mean MCP extension and had structural correlates on MRI. These can serve as quantitative measures for future associative and interventional studies.

History, Prevalence and Assessment of Limited Joint Mobility, from Stiff Hand Syndrome to Diabetic Foot Ulcer Prevention: A Narrative Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Limited Joint Mobility (LJM) is a dreaded complication of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). During the last half century, LJM has been studied in patients of different age because it has been considered useful for the monitoring of a patient's condition and for the prevention of vascular disease and diabetic foot.

OBJECTIVES

The main aims of this review are to describe the relationship between DM and joint mobility as well as its prevalence and assessment. We have also investigated the role of LJM in the development of diabetic foot ulcers.

METHODOLOGY

An in-depth literature search was conducted to identify studies that examined the prevalence and characteristics of LJM in patients with DM of different types, age, durations and chronic complications.

RESULTS

Many factors (therapy improvements, population characteristics and different evaluation methods) concur to hinder an exact assessment of the prevalence of LJM. However, it has been confirmed that LJM is widespread among patients with DM and may affect more than two-thirds of them in addition to being a major risk factor for foot ulcer. Its role in the monitoring of a patient's condition is also important for the definition of risk thresholds such as in patients with diabetic foot. The efficacy of exercise therapy for the treatment of LJM, also in patients at risk of foot ulcer, has not been discussed.

CONCLUSION

Difficulties encountered in the definition of the prevalence of LJM may hinder its study and the establishment of preventive interventions. However, LJM plays a key role in the monitoring of patients, especially those at risk for ulcer.

Limited Joint Mobility Progression in Type 1 Diabetes: A 15-Year Follow-Up Study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the evolution of joint mobility over a period of 15 years in type 1 diabetic patients and healthy controls and to determine whether microalbuminuria is associated with a different evolution of joint mobility.

METHODS

Joint mobility of hand and wrist was determined in 63 patients with type 1 diabetes and 63 healthy subjects. Fifteen years later, 37 (58.7%) diabetic patients and 16 (25.4%) healthy subjects were studied again. Joint mobility was assessed with the Prayer sign and by measuring the angle of maximal flexion of the fifth and third metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints and wrist. Patients with diabetes were visited 2-4 times every year with regular assessment of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1_c), urinary albumin excretion (UAE), and ophthalmoscopy.

RESULTS

Fifteen years after the initial exam, diabetic patients showed reduced flexion of the fifth MCP joint (82.6 ± 5.8 versus 76.0 ± 6.4 degrees, p < 0.001) and wrist (75.9 ± 8.1 versus 73.2 ± 7.4 degrees, p = 0.015) compared to baseline examination. Joint mobility did not change significantly in healthy subjects. Patients with microalbuminuria showed greater reduction in hand joint mobility than diabetic patients with normal UAE or than healthy subjects (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In type 1 diabetic patients, the severity of LJM progresses with time, and the progression is enhanced in patients with microalbuminuria.

La mano diabética

La diabetes es una de las enfermedades con mayor prevalencia y repercusión sociosanitaria, no solo por su elevada frecuencia, sino también por el impacto de las complicaciones crónicas de la enfermedad y el papel que desempeña como factor de riesgo en la afección cardiovascular. Sin embargo, la diabetes también puede involucrar al sistema musculoesquelético y a los tejidos blandos de forma muy diversa, siendo la mano una de las regiones más afectadas. De hecho, se estima que el 40% de los pacientes diabéticos tienen problemas significativos de la mano que requieren una atención médica.

En el presente artículo se revisan las principales enfermedades de la mano que van asociadas a la diabetes, haciendo especial hincapié en el tratamiento y el pronóstico de cada una de ellas.

Musculoskeletal disorders of the hand in type 2 diabetes mellitus: prevalence and its associated factors

AIM

To assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders of the hand among adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and their relation to disease duration, glycemic control and microvascular complications.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics in Amman, Jordan.

RESULTS

One thousand patients with T2DM were included in this study (mean age 57.8 ± 9.5 years, 52.2% females and 47.8% males). Hand disorders were seen in 69.5% of patients, limited joint mobility (LJM) was the most prevalent (63.1%) condition followed by Dupuytren's contracture (DC) (18.6%). Trigger finger, thick skin and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were found in 7.2%, 6.2% and 5.5% of patients, respectively. One disorder was seen in 45.4% of patients, two in18.2%, three in 4.9%, four in 0.9%, while only 0.1% of patients had all disorders. Female gender, age over 60 years and long duration of diabetes were associated with hand abnormalities. Hypertension was significantly associated with DC while retinopathy was associated with increased odds of thick skin, DC and CTS with P-values 0.037, < 0.005 and 0.002, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Hand disorders are very common in T2DM. Female gender, old age, duration of diabetes, retinopathy and hypertension were significantly associated with hand disorders in T2DM.

Rheumatic manifestations of diabetes mellitus

DM is associated with various musculoskeletal manifestations. The strength of this relationship varies among the various musculoskeletal disorders; the associations are based mostly on epidemiologic data. For most of these conditions, definitive pathophysiologic correlates are lacking.Hand and shoulder disorders occur more frequently than other musculoskeletal manifestations of DM. Recognition of the association between DM and shoulder adhesive capsulitis, DD, and stenosing flexor tenosynovitis facilitates their correct diagnosis in the setting of DM and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment, which may include optimizing glycemic control. Conversely, awareness and identification of the characteristic musculoskeletal manifestations of DM may facilitate earlier diagnosis of DM and initiation of glucose-lowering therapy to retard the development of diabetic complications.Much less has been published about the musculoskeletal complications of DM than about its micro- and macrovascular complications. Prospective case-control cohort studies are needed to establish the true prevalence of musculoskeletal complications of DM and the metabolic syndrome, especially in this era of tighter glycemic control.The potential relationship between DM and the development of OA needs to be clarified in large, prospective, case-control cohort studies. The effect on musculoskeletal manifestations of various therapeutic regimens to manage DM should be studied prospectively. Treatment regimens for some musculoskeletal conditions associated with DM, such as DISH, should be studied in larger prospective, randomized,controlled clinical trials.At the molecular level, further studies are warranted to clarify the potential contribution of AGEs and adipokines to the development of OA and diabetic musculoskeletal syndromes, such as shoulder adhesive capsulitis, DD, stenosing flexor tenosynovitis, and LJM. Identification of such molecular targets for therapy would promote the development of additional treatments for these and other rheumatic diseases.

The diabetic hand: a forgotten complication?

The manifestations of diabetes in the hand were much discussed in the 1970s and 1980s. The present review aims to revisit the diabetic hand and to discuss the pathology of the hand that may be clinically important in diabetic patients. In the strict sense of the term, the "diabetic hand" encompasses the three most widely studied conditions which have traditionally been associated with diabetes, namely limited joint mobility, Dupuytren's contracture and trigger finger. There is evidence that these entities are significantly more frequent in patients with diabetes and also that they may be associated with diabetes duration, poor metabolic control and presence of microvascular complications. In a more general sense, though, there are other conditions affecting the hands, which also occur more frequently in diabetes. From a practical point of view, increased alertness both for neuropathic hand ulcers in patients with profound neuropathy and for diabetic hand infections is absolutely necessary. Recently, reduced hand strength is beginning to be recognized as a further complication of diabetes. Thus, the hand may reveal substantial pathology in diabetes, and ideally, clinical examination should not ignore it.

Longitudinal relation between limited joint mobility, height, insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, and risk of developing microalbuminuria: the Oxford Regional Prospective Study

AIMS

To determine risk factors for development of microalbuminuria (MA) in relation to detection of limited joint mobility (LJM+) of the interphalangeal joints in a longitudinal cohort of type 1 diabetic (T1DM) subjects.

METHODS

A total of 479 T1DM subjects diagnosed <16 years were followed from diagnosis of diabetes with annual assessments consisting of assessment of LJM, measurement of HbA1c and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and three urine samples for albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR).

RESULTS

After a median follow up of 10.9 years, 162 subjects (35.1%) developed LJM at median age 13.0 years and duration 5.2 years. More subjects developed LJM after compared to before puberty (67.6 v 32.4%). In LJM+ compared to LJM- subjects, HbA1c (mean 10.1 (SD 1.6) v 9.6 (1.4) %)) and ACR levels (median 1.1 (range 0.2-242.9) v 0.9 (0.4-70.7) mg/mmol) were higher, and in a Cox model probability of developing LJM was related to puberty and higher HbA1c levels. ACR levels were higher after detection of LJM compared to before (median 1.2 (range 0.4-102.6) v 0.8 (0.2-181.9) mg/mmol). Probability of developing MA was related to puberty, HbA1c, female sex, and presence of LJM (a 1.9-fold increased risk). Both LJM and MA were associated with lower height SDS (LJM: mean 0.0 (SD 1.0) v 0.2 (1.1); MA: 0.0 (1.0) v 0.2 (SD 1.0)) and lower IGF-1 levels.

CONCLUSION

The development of LJM was associated with an increased risk of microalbuminuria, independent of glycaemic control. Risk for both microalbuminuria and LJM was associated with puberty, reduced growth, and reduced IGF-1 levels, and may indicate underlying shared pathogenic mechanisms.

Reduced prevalence of limited joint mobility in type 1 diabetes in a U.K. clinic population over a 20-year period

OBJECTIVE

Limited joint mobility (LJM), one of the earliest clinically apparent long-term complications of type 1 diabetes, is a risk marker for subsequent microvascular complications. We hypothesize that the prevalence of LJM may have decreased during the past two decades due to improved standards of glycemic control.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A single observer performed a survey in 204 consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes (106 men and 98 women, age 27 +/- 1 years, HbA(1c) 8.3 +/- 0.1%, duration of diabetes 14.5 +/- 0.8 years, insulin dose 63 +/- 2 units/day). We used the same examination method and criteria for assessment of LJM as used by us in an earlier study in 1981-1982.

RESULTS

The prevalence of LJM has fallen from 43 to 23% between the 1980s and 2002 (P < 0.0001). The relative risk for LJM in 2002 compared with the 1981-1982 cohort was 0.53 (0.40 < RR < 0.72, P < 0.0001). The prevalence of LJM was increased with longer duration of diabetes (<10 years, 13%; 10-20 years, 19%; 20-29 years, 30%; >30 years, 65%; P < 0.001). The relative risk for those with a mean HbA(1c) <7% in 2002 was 0.3 (0.1 < RR < 1.2, P = 0.05) when compared with those with mean HbA(1c) >7%.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study confirms the hypothesis that the prevalence of LJM is lower than 20 years ago and that improved standards of glycemic control and diabetes care may have contributed to this occurrence. Joint limitation in type 1 diabetes is strongly associated with duration of diabetes. The presence of LJM remains a common and important clinical marker for subsequent microvascular disease and can be a useful clinical tool for identification of patients at increased risk.

Musculoskeletal disorders in diabetes mellitus: an update

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with several musculoskeletal disorders. The incidence of DM and the life expectancy of the diabetic patient have both increased, resulting in the increased prevalence and clinical importance of musculoskeletal alterations in diabetic subjects. The exact pathophysiology of most of these musculoskeletal disorders remains obscure. Connective tissue disorders, neuropathy, vasculopathy or combinations of these problems, may underlie the increased incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in DM. The development of musculoskeletal disorders is dependent on age and on the duration of DM; however, it has been difficult to show a direct correlation with the metabolic control of DM. Most of these disorders can be diagnosed clinically, but some radiological examination may help, especially in differential diagnosis. No specific treatment is available, and treatments used in the general population are also recommended for diabetic subjects. Infectious complications affecting the musculoskeletal system are common in DM subjects, and these, possibly life-threatening, complications should be systematically discussed.

Limited joint mobility in type 1 diabetic patients: associations with microangiopathy and subclinical macroangiopathy are different in men and women

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship of limited joint mobility (LJM) in type 1 diabetic patients with microvascular complications, hypertension, and early atherosclerosis and to determine whether sex has an influence on possible associations.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 335 consecutive unselected patients (191 women and 144 men), aged 14-40 years, were studied for LJM, retinopathy, nephropathy (stages III and IV), and hypertension. Standard laboratory tests were performed; the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries, which reflects the extent of early atherosclerosis, was measured by high-resolution ultrasound, and plaques were identified.

RESULTS

The frequency of LJM was 33.7% (29.8% in women and 38.9% in men). Subjects with LJM had a longer diabetes duration (P < 0.001) than those without (women 16.7 +/- 9.1 vs. 10.3 +/- 6.0 years; men 15.0 +/- 9.0 vs. 9.4 +/- 6.3 years). Age, HbA1c, lipids, and systolic/diastolic blood pressure were not different between men and women with or without LJM. Men with LJM had a higher albumin excretion rate (37.1 vs. 13.1 microg/min, P < 0.05) than those without LJM and showed a higher risk of proteinuria (odds ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7; P < 0.05), retinopathy (2.4, 1.7-3.5; P < 0.001), and hypertension (1.7, 1.2-2.6; P < 0.05). The occurrence of these complications was not different between women with and without LJM, but only women with LJM had a greater IMT (0.59 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.55 +/- 0.10 mm, P < 0.05) and a higher risk of plaques (odds ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.4; P < 0.05) than women without LJM. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and diabetes duration, male sex independently predicted the presence of LJM. Moreover, LJM proved to be an independent predictor of retinopathy in men only.

CONCLUSIONS

LJM is an indicator of microvascular disease in men, and LJM is associated with early macrovascular disease in women.

Determinants of hip and knee flexion range: results from the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging

OBJECTIVE

We analyzed data from the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging, a neighborhood-based study of community-dwelling elderly people, to identify factors that determine the flexion range (FR) of hips and knees.

METHODS

The FR of hips and knees was measured in a cohort of 687 subjects aged 65 to 79 years. We used multivariate models to examine the associations among the FR of hips and knees, and between these and age, gender, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), pain and its location, self-reported arthritis, and diabetes mellitus. The functional relevance of hip and knee FR was tested by measuring its association with 50-foot walking velocity.

RESULTS

More than 90 degrees of flexion in both hips and both knees was observed in 619 subjects (90.1%). Correlations among the FR of hips and knees ranged from 0.54 to 0.80 (P < 0.001 for Spearman r values). Multivariate analysis revealed a pattern of significant associations between each of the joints and its contralateral mate and ipsilateral partner joints that was consistent for both hips and both knees. Using each individual joint as the unit of analysis, the following variables were independently associated with hip or knee FR in multivariate models: rising BMI and female sex with reduced FR of both hips and knees, a Mexican American ethnic background with decreased hip FR, and knee pain with decreased knee FR. The functional importance of the FR of these two important joints was supported by its significant association with walking velocity in a model that adjusted for age, gender, ethnic background, BMI, and hip or knee pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Most community-dwelling elderly people have a FR of hips and knees that can be considered functional. The ipsilateral and contralateral hip or knee are significant independent determinants of the FR of each of these joints. Obesity, a health problem potentially amenable to preventive and therapeutic interventions, is a factor significantly associated with decreased FR of hips and knees.

A commentary on 10 years of aldose reductase inhibition for limited joint mobility in diabetes

This investigation examines the clinical response to long-term treatment of the diabetic syndrome of limited joint mobility (LJM) using an aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) in comparison to historical controls, and proposes a potential role of aldose reductase (AR) genotype and expression in the clinical response to ARI. Clinical parameters, including quantitative hand movement and electromyogram, were followed over a decade of continuous ARI treatment with sorbinil (400 mg/day) in two patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and severe compromising LJM, and compared to the published 10-year prospective investigation of untreated IDDM diabetic patients with LJM. Both subjects were homozygous for the Z-2 AR allele (A-C)23 that has been linked with microvascular complications of DM. Cellular AR mRNA/beta-actin ratios for both treated patients while on ARI therapy were approximately one-half the value observed in untreated patients with the complications of nephropathy or neuropathy. This is the longest reported experience of ARI intervention for any diabetic complication, documenting sustained correction of LJM, lack of side effects, and a potential molecular basis for the therapeutic response.