The prevalence of tenosynovitis of the interosseous tendons of the hand in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of tenosynovitis affecting the interosseous tendons of the hand in a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population and to assess for association with metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint synovitis, flexor tendon tenosynovitis or ulnar drift. Forty-four patients with RA underwent hand MRI along with 20 normal controls. Coronal 3D T1 VIBE sequences pre- and post-contrast were performed and reconstructed. The presence of interosseous tendon tenosynovitis was recorded alongside MCP joint synovitis, flexor tendon tenosynovitis and ulnar drift. Twenty-one (47.7%) patients with RA showed interosseous tendon tenosynovitis. Fifty-two (14.8%) interosseous tendons showed tenosynovitis amongst the RA patients. Interosseous tendon tenosynovitis was more commonly seen in association with adjacent MCP joint synovitis (p < 0.001), but nine MCP joints (5.1%) showed adjacent interosseous tenosynovitis in the absence of joint synovitis. Interosseous tendon tenosynovitis was more frequently seen in fingers which also showed flexor tendon tenosynovitis (p < 0.001) and in patients with ulnar drift of the fingers (p = 0.01). Tenosynovitis of the hand interosseous tendons was found in 47.7% of patients with RA. In the majority of cases this was adjacent to MCP joint synovitis; however, interosseous tendon tenosynovitis was also seen in isolation. • Tenosynovitis of the interosseous tendons of the hand occurs in rheumatoid arthritis. • Interosseous tendon tenosynovitis has a prevalence of 47.7% in patients with RA. • Interosseous tendon tenosynovitis is related to MCP joint synovitis in the adjacent joints.