Article

PURPOSE: To investigate the musculoskeletal complaints, physical activity (PA)
and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with the Ehlers-Danlos
syndrome hypermobility type (EDS-HT). METHODS: Thirty-two female EDS-HT patients
as defined by the Villefranche criteria and 32 gender- and age-matched healthy
control subjects participated in the study. Data about musculoskeletal complaints
were collected from a specific form developed for the study. Daily PA and HRQoL
were evaluated by the Baecke questionnaire and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey
(distributed by RAND), respectively. RESULTS: A significant presence of joint
pain, joint dislocations, muscle cramps, tendinitis, fatigue and headache were
revealed in the EDS-HT patient group. Joint pain was reported as the most
frequent and most severe symptom. The habitual PA level was diminished in the
patient group. Specifically, EDS-HT subjects had significantly lower sport
participation, but a comparable leisure time excluding sports compared to the
healthy control subjects. All eight HRQoL dimensions of the RAND-36 and both
physical and emotional summary scores were significantly impaired in EDS-HT.
CONCLUSIONS: EDS-HT is characterised by various severe musculoskeletal complaints
and has a detrimental effect on the habitual level of PA and HRQoL, in both
physical and psychosocial dimension. An appropriate treatment and management in
healthcare is needed.

Langue : ANGLAIS