Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35725646›Full record

SynthesisBiology of sex differences2022

Menstrual hormone-induced cyclic thumb CMC instability and degeneration in women: a systematic review.

Emily A Parker, Alex M Meyer, Ignacio Garcia Fleury, Joseph A Buckwalter

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Biology of sex differences, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07668986 (A Between-Group Comparison of First Dorsal Interosseous and Abductor Pollicis Longus Muscle Activation During First Dorsal Interosseous Activities of Daily Living in Individuals With and Without Thumb Base Osteoarthritis), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07668986 not yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

A Between-Group Comparison of First Dorsal Interosseous and Abductor Pollicis Longus Muscle Activation During First Dorsal Interosseous Activities of Daily Living in Individuals With and Without Thumb Base Osteoarthritis

Typeobservational_patient_registrySponsorUniversity of MalagaRan2026 to 2026Enrolled50ConditionsTrapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Emily A ParkerDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa, IA, 52242, USA. eaparker01@gmail.com.
Alex M MeyerDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa, IA, 52242, USA.
Ignacio Garcia FleuryDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa, IA, 52242, USA.
Joseph A BuckwalterDepartment of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa, IA, 52242, USA.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRelaxin is a hormone which peaks during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and a known collagenolytic promoter that has been shown to avidly bind tissues supporting the trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint in women. We hypothesize a causal linkage between cyclic binding of relaxin to the supporting tissues of the female TMC joint; and to the earlier onset of more severe TMC osteoarthritis (OA) commonly seen in women.

methodsA systematic literature review was performed per PRISMA guidelines, qualitatively and quantitatively assessing papers regarding relaxin-TMC joint stability interactions. The primary outcome variable was TMC joint degeneration/loss of function; the "late stage" consequences of relaxin-induced instability. The secondary outcome variable was presence of early signs of relaxin-induced instability; specifically asymptomatic TMC joint laxity in young women.

resultsIn healthy young women, menstrual cycle relaxin peaks corresponded with asymptomatic TMC joint instability. Immunohistochemical studies of TMC arthroplasty patients showed avidly increased relaxin binding to supporting tissues around the TMC joint in women but not men. Demographic analysis of patients from the TMC arthroplasty studies show a predominantly female cohort, who were on average significantly younger than the male surgical patients.

conclusionsEach relaxin peak during the menstrual cycle can target receptors on the soft tissues supporting the TMC joint, including-critically-the main stabilizing ligament: the anterior oblique. The cyclic instability is typically asymptomatic for years after menarche, but causes cumulative chondral microtrauma. This likely causes the early-onset, high severity TMC joint OA clinically pervasive among female patients at orthopedic hand clinics. Further research is indicated to develop risk assessment strategies and potential interventional options before and after the onset of hormonal laxity-induced OA.

Indexed as

Joint InstabilityMenstrual CycleOsteoarthritisRelaxinCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleThumbRelaxinMusculoskeletal sex differencesThumb CMC arthroplastyThumb osteoarthritisTrapeziometacarpal degenerationTrapeziometacarpal instability

Identifiers

PMID35725646
PMCPMC9208132
OpenAlexW4283162729

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.