Genetics affect need for surgery in patients with thumb osteoarthritis

LONDON: Rhizarthrosis, also known as trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, is a kind of osteoarthritis that affects the thumb. Treatment options include splints and surgery. Researchers discovered a number of genetic differences between those with rhizarthrosis who have surgery and those who choose nonsurgical therapies.

The study, published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, included 1,083 surgical and 1,888 nonsurgical patients with rhizarthrosis, as well as 205,371 controls who did not have osteoarthritis.

Researchers discovered seven genetic variants that may be associated with surgical rhizarthrosis and three variants that appear to be associated with nonsurgical rhizarthrosis. They emphasized that identifying genetic differences between these patient groups could reveal biological pathways influencing various features of rhizarthrosis.

“Our findings delve into the genetic architecture of osteoarthritis in the thumb base, hinting at a potential genetic influence on the need for surgery,” said corresponding author Cecilie Henkel, MD, PhD, of Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, in Denmark. “While no solid conclusions about the effect of specific genetic variants on the need for surgical treatment should be made at this stage, our study marks a stride towards integrating genetic insights into the clinical management of osteoarthritis, with the long-term aim of refining diagnosis, treatment, and preventative strategies for this common and debilitating disease.”