Pôster:

Chikungunya Fever (FCHIK) is an arbovirus that causes intense and persistent arthralgia. The disease mostly affects the hands and may lead to disabling conditions. A previous study from our group has shown that muscular strength decreases in older women with over three months of FCHIK compared to those without the disease. However, comparisons among different disease’s chronicity periods have not been made yet. This study aimed to compare women’s hand's functionality, strength, and temperature in different periods of Chikungunya Fever’s chronicity concerning healthy subjects.

Materials and methods

Ethics Committee # 98254718.4.0000.5147. Seventy-three non-diabetic women were divided into three groups: less than a year of FCHIK (CKR n=19), over than a year of FCHIK (CK n=28) and without FCHIK (CON n=26). All participants underwent a protocol that includes: Visual Analog Scale (VAS), to assess pain;“Sequential Occupational Dexterity Assessment” test (SODA), to assess functionality; average manual force exercised for 5s of maximum contraction (Fmed) using dynamometry, to assess force; perimetry 10 cm below the lateral epicondyle (LE), articular interline skin’s temperature via thermic camera FLIR T335 (FLIR tems system, Danderyd, Sweden), and hand joints’ range of motion by qualitative movement evaluation. Comparisons among averages were calculated by using JAMOVI software (alpha=0.05). The effect size was performed by Cohen’s d test for each variable that presented p<0.05 on the two independent groups comparison test. Chi-square for categorical variables.

Results

Diagnosis time of FCHIK (CKR: 7±3, CK: 28±9 months). No significant difference was observed in relation to age (CKR: 54±10; CK: 55±7; CON: 54±9 years), perimeter 10 cm of LE (CK: 25± 2; CKR: 25± 2; CON: 25±2 cm), and pain (VAS right hand and fingers: CKR: 6±2; CK: 7±2 spots). Participants with FCHIK presented lower temperature (e.g IFP 2nd right finger temperature: CKR and CK: 31±2; CON: 33±2 ºC, P<0.05), loss of hand’s functionality (SODA pain: CKR:4±4; CK:6±5; CON:1±2 spots, p<0.001; CKR + CK vs CON; Large effect size: 1.1), decreased muscle strength (CKR: 20±7; CK:17±7; CON: 23±5 kgf; p<0.05 CK vs CON) and lower range of motion for interphalangeal joint flexion (IF’s total flexion not achieved: CKR:84%; CK:75%; CON:15%, P<0.05; was not able to bring fingertips together CKR:24%; CK:25%; CON:4%, P<0.05).

Conclusion

In conclusion, participants with FCHIK presented lower hand’s temperature, loss of hand’s functionality, decreased muscle strength, and lower range of motion for metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joint flexion. Acknowledgments: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES.