Riassunto dello studio

Two hundred patients with hand osteoarthritis were randomized to receive electrically heated mittens (n=100) or control mittens (n=100) for at least 15 minutes daily over six weeks. The primary outcome was the change in physical hand function, measured using the AUSCAN function subscale. Secondary outcomes included changes in the AUSCAN hand pain subscale, global rating of osteoarthritis-related problems, and grip strength. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after six weeks. Overall, the results revealed no significant improvement in hand function with heated mittens compared to control mittens. However, there was a small but statistically significant improvement in hand pain. No significant differences were found for global rating of osteoarthritis-related problems or grip strength. The findings suggest that while heated mittens may provide minor pain relief, they do not significantly improve physical hand function in patients with hand osteoarthritis.