Blog
Dupuytren’s and Frozen shoulder
About one in six patients with frozen shoulder will also have Dupuytren’s disease and vice versa. Frozen shoulder has been called “Dupuytren’s of the shoulder”: the abnormal tissues are quite similar. However, they are different in other respects – for example, Dupuytren’s commonly recurs after surgical treatment, but frozen shoulder
Vascular cause of Dupuytren’s?
Diabetes, hypertension, stiff finger joints and Dupuytren’s: This study uses retinopathy as an index of vascular disease and suggests that small vessel disease, rather than the effect of blood sugar on collagen, is the link between diabetes and Dupuytren’s: https://dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/1986_Larkin_1218.pdf
Peyronie’s Disease and Dupuytren’s
Dupuytren’s is one manifestation of a systemic fibrotic disorder that can also show up as Ledderhose, frozen shoulder or Peyronie’s disease. Fortunately, the majority of people affected show only one of these conditions, but many have to deal with several or all of these. This summary reviews the condition referred
A landmark advance in understanding Dupuytren’s
Two methods of investigating Dupuytren’s have been used: Demographic – family studies, associations with medications, activities, other diseases; and Biological – tissue analysis. The big biologic breakthrough came in 1972 when Gabbiani and others published two articles back to back findings on the biology of myofibroblasts: https://dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/1971_Gabbiani.pdf and the role
Smooth Muscle Actin in Dupuytren’s Contracture
The palmar fascia in Duputren’s contracture does not contract like a muscle: it’s more like the effect of an army of tiny rachets. Adjacent parallel strands of collagen are grabbed by myofibroblasts, which then shorten (“crimp”) lengthwise, pulling the strands to overlap more and more, and then gluing these strands
CMMS therapy for stiffness after fasciectomy for Dupuytren’s
Stiffness is a common problem after fasciectomy, particularly loss of flexion, and can be resistant to stretching exercises or splints. This therapy program, incorporating a combination of casting and active exercises, helped patients regain motion when they had failed conventional hand therapy: https://dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/2007_Rose.pdf
NICE evaluation of needle aponeurotomy for Dupuytren’s
The source of medical information is critical; objectivity is essential. That’s one of the advantages of the UK’s NHS independent review process. Read their assessment of needle aponeurotomy:https://dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/2004_NICE.pdf
Drugs that provoke Dupuytren’s Disease
Looking for ways to stop Dupuytren’s, it should be useful to look in reverse at factors which may start it, such as protease inhibitor drugs, as reported here: https://dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/2002_Florence_1607.pdf
Dupuytren’s, Mast cells, Substance P
Dupuytren’s is not always painless. Sometimes, active areas itch and burn. This goes along with the finding of elevated levels of mast cells and nerve fibers containing substance P – something also found in interstitial cystitis. Find out more at https://dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/2006_Schubert_1071.pdf
Recent Dupuytren Publications
- Discussion: Frequency and Reporting of Complications after Dupuytren Contracture Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- The effect of preoperative interventions on postoperative outcomes following elective hand surgery: A systematic review
- Palmoplantar keratoderma, knuckle pads, and syndactyly associated with a new missense variant in the SLURP1 gene
- Post-traumatic Dupuytren's contracture in a paediatric patient: a case report and literature review
- Collagenase injection versus limited fasciectomy surgery to treat Dupuytren's contracture in adult patients in the UK: DISC, a non-inferiority RCT and economic evaluation
