Declines in the range of motion and malalignment in hands of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis studied over 6 years.

Quantitative total joint scores including range of motion, malalignment, opposition of the thumb to the digits and combined distal-proximal-metacarpophalangeal joint flexion were determined in the hands and wrists of 56 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis over six years. Most of the patients with duration of disease less than 5 years showed relatively normal hand function, reflected by low total and subtotal scores. However, significant declines of the respective variables reflected by pathological total and subtotal scores were seen in patients with duration of disease longer than 5 years. Decrease of the range of motion, total joint scores and malalignment were significantly correlated with the duration of disease.