2020 IDDB Progress and Findings
2020 IDDB Progress and Findings The International Dupuytren Data Bank is now in its fifth year with 4465 enrollees from 48 countries. There’s now enough data to begin looking for trends and new insights. We’ve begun collecting blood samples from select enrollees for the Dupuytren Blood Biomarker Pilot Study. Blood sample collection is on hold until […]
Speeding up Dupuytren research
A hand surgery colleague just sent me hand pictures of a patient he had treated with needle aponeurotomy seven years ago. His patient recently had a recurrence and had an excellent outcome with repeat needle aponeurotomy. A great result, more impressive because things don’t always go as well. It’s an example of the ups and downs […]
IDDB, biomarkers and big data to cure Dupuytren disease
The International Dupuytren Data Bank (IDDB) will focus on Dupuytren biomarkers Why are biomarkers important for Dupuytren disease? Dupuytren contracture is an effect, not a cause. Think of fever. Fever is an effect of infection, drug reaction, or something else. Just treating the effect – the fever – doesn’t cure the cause. You have to find […]
Three types of Dupuytren disease?
It’s important to understand the difference between Dupuytren disease (any Dupuytren like changes in the hand – with or without contracture) and Dupuytren contracture (a bent finger due to Dupuytren like changes). An unsolved issue is variability of disease. It is not known what percent of people with early Dupuytren changes (a lump, a cord without contracture) will […]
The Knowledge Gap
Dupuytren disease has fallen through a gap in a system which ordinarily leads to better and better disease treatment. One side of the gap is that at its core, Dupuytren disease is a medical disorder, from some subtle biologic imbalance. The other side is that although Dupuytren disease does many things, Dupuytren hand deformity has […]
Blue Eyes, Dupuytren Disease, and Alcoholism
A recent study linked blue eyes with genetic risk for alcoholism. Interesting, because Dupuytren disease is more common in people with light colored eyes and according to some studies, Dupuytren is linked to chronic alcoholism. It’s a match! Or is it? Other studies conclude alcoholism is not a risk for Dupuytren disease. Both Dupuytren and blue eyes are more common in […]
