Hand conditions as sequelae of infection with COVID-19: a literature review.

J Hand Surg Eur Vol · Feb 2024 · Review

Koo KK, Morris J, Ansari SA, Younis F

Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

Hand & Upper Extremity

SUMMARY — THE REDUCTIONA 20-study literature review links COVID-19 infection or vaccination to hand conditions including muscle inflammation, reactive and rheumatoid arthritis, crystalline arthropathy, and carpal tunnel syndrome, though published evidence remains sparse.
Abstract, as published

Patients have attended our clinics with various hand pathologies after contracting COVID-19 or receiving vaccination. We postulate the virus stimulates a systemic inflammatory response that triggers these pathologies and conducted a search of the literature for associated conditions. Twenty publications were included for this review. Three studies identified skeletal muscle inflammation, and several identified reactive arthritis post-infection. Rheumatoid arthritis post-infection was also recognized, along with crystalline arthropathy. Carpal tunnel syndrome was seen in two cases. There is a current paucity in published scientific material regarding COVID-19 sequalae in the hand. This review aims to stimulate discussion in how a virus can induce pathological processes causing common hand pathologies.

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