Background. The purpose of this study is to describe a new clinical test for de Quervain’s disease and to compare it with the Eichhoff’s and Finkelstein’s tests.
Materials and methods. The suggested test is performed in the following way. The patient is asked to place his/her palm on the table and relax the hand, especially the thumb. After that the examiner applies resistance to the radial surface of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the extended index finger, and the patient actively abducts this finger. The test is considered to be positive if the patient feels mild pain or discomfort at the radial styloid process. This clinical test is based on the principle of muscle synergism. Forty three patients (27 right and 20 left hands) were evaluated. All of them had clinical signs of de Quervain’s disease. There were 36 women and 7 men. The mean age was 50 years (range, 28-70 years). Forty three persons (27 right and 20 left hands) were included in the control group. The participants in the experimental and control groups were matched by gender and age. All control persons had no trauma, no acute or chronic disease of their hands and no clinical signs of de Quervain’s disease.
Results. The sensitivity of the tests was: Eichhoff’s test -0.851; Finkelstein’s test -0.851; new test -0.915. The specificity was: Eichhoff’s test -0.915; Finkelstein’s test – 0.957; new test – 0.957. The positive predictive value was: Eichhoff’s Test -0.909; Finkelstein’s test -0.925; the new test -0.955. The negative predictive value was: Eichhoff’s test -0.860; Finkelstein’s test -0.865; the new test -0.918.
Conclusions. The suggested new test can be used in the diagnosis of de Quervain’s disease.
