Health-related factors and dysregulation of epigenetic related genes in metabolic syndrome trigger finger patients and smoker trigger finger patients: preliminary analysis of patient-derived sample

PURPOSE: To investigate the health-related factors and analyze the expression of epigenetic related genes and inflammatory genes in metabolic syndrome Trigger Finger (TF) and smoker TF. METHODS: Samples from patients’ fingers with symptomatic TF were collected. There were seven groups: healthy control group, carpal tunnel syndrome (as a control for gene expression analysis), TF, diabetic TF, hypertensive TF, dyslipidemic TF and smoker TF. The expression levels of epigenetic related genes and inflammatory genes in metabolic syndrome TF and smoker TF were evaluated by the reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires, disability of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and numeric pain rating scale were given to the participants to fill out. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in hand dysfunction in the metabolic TF groups and smoker group compared to the TF group (p < 0.0001). The stress levels of the smoker TF group and TF with hypertension group were significantly increased compared with those in the TF group (p < 0.03) and (p < 0.021), respectively. On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the COL-I, COL-II and TNF-α gene expression of the metabolic TF groups and smoker group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Health-related factors in the TF tendons was highly associated with the level of inflammation and genetic alteration in TF metabolic syndromes and smoker TF patients. Therefore, further investigation is required to examine the combination of occupational therapy, gene expression, and health-related factors as a promising method of managing TF.