Open AccessRelationship of Relaxin Hormone and Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis
Author(s) -
Jennifer Moriatis Wolf,
David M. Scher,
Eric W. Etchill,
Frank Scott,
Allison Williams,
Steven Delaronde,
Karen B. King
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
clinical orthopaedics and related research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.178
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1528-1132
pISSN - 0009-921X
DOI - 10.1007/s11999-013-2960-4
Subject(s) - medicine , carpometacarpal joint , thumb , relaxin , arthritis , hormone , surgery , osteoarthritis , pathology , alternative medicine
The female predominance in thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis has led to speculation that reproductive hormones or hypermobility are responsible. Evidence shows that patients with pathologic laxity have a higher rate of thumb CMC arthritis. Relaxin hormone increases laxity in the pelvic ligaments through upregulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). It is thus a hormone of interest in the development of thumb CMC arthritis.