Evidence-based medicine in the diagnosis and management of hand osteoarthritis

Objective To outline the Diagnosis and Management of HOA depending essentially on the recent Evidence-Based Recommendations (EBR) and literature. Method EBR for the Diagnosis of HOA, according to: risk factors, clinical, subsets, differential diagnosis, images and laboratory tests, is mentioned in details with Levels of Evidence. Also EBR for the Management of HOA developed through three Delphi rounds, according to: general, non-pharmacological, pharmacological, invasive, surgical, with levels of evidence is given through the lecture. Results The results of 3 Delphi rounds, for Diagnosis: 108, for Management of HOA: 309 literature depending on Evidence-Based Medicine and Hierarchy with Levels of Evidence is presented. Conclusion Pain relief, restoration of function remain the primary treatment objectives. These are best achieved by a combination of pharmacological & nonpharmacological treatment especially by application of PRM procedures. Surgery remains the last resort for restoration of function if all else fails.