[The hand and rheumatism].

Abstract

The hand is a major site of musculoskeletal disorders. Clinical features to be studied include the patient's age and sex, pain, stiffness, range of motion of the various joints of the wrists and hands, soft tissue swelling (particularly tendons sheaths), bone excrescences, skin changes. Radiological abnormalities in the hands, if any, may confirm the clinical diagnosis. The main features of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis, erosive degenerative changes, Südeck syndrome, calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease, etc., are reviewed.