Further diseases that are similar or potentially related to Morbus Dupuytren or Ledderhose

Introductionary note

"The significance of many of the conditions believed to be associated with DD is still not clear. A historical approach to the literature is of value, providing the reasoning behind many current beliefs. The fact remains that, over 170 years after Dupuytren’s original description, the true cause of the condition still eludes us." Conclusion of Hart MG and Hooper G "Clinical associations of Dupuytren’s disease" Postgrad Med J (2005)81:425-428 fulltext.

 

Dupuytren extending into the wrist area

There are occasional reports of Dupuytren's disease extending into the wrist area. This seems to be a very rare condition, see e.g. A. W. Simons et al. "Dupuytren's disease affecting the wrist" J Hand Surg [Br] 21(1996):367-368, A. Sinha "Dupuytren's disease may extend beyond the wrist crease in continuity" J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 79(1997):211-212 abstract, and P. Dalton, S. Chamberlain, and P. Stabler "Dupuytren's disease of the wrist" Hand Surg 6(2001):235-7 abstract Dalton Dupuytren wrist.

Fibromatosis on back of the hand

Occasionally patients suffering from Dupuytren's disease also develop additional fibromatosis on the back of the hand, see e.g. A. Bayat and D. McGrouther "Management of Dupuytren's disease--clear advice for an elusive condition" Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 88(2006):3-8 (though that paper is primarily focused on hand surgery as treatment for Morbus Dupuytren).

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Dupuytren's disease can occasionally put pressure on the median arm nerves and can be a potential cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, though other causes are more frequent. Initial symptoms are an occasional numbness in the hand and wrist, later stages can e.g. limit the capability to do manual work. - Surgical release of the CTS can, in unfavorable cases and like any other surgery, trigger Dupuytren's disease.

Fasciitis nodularis

Very rarely nodules that are symptomatically similar to Dupuytren nodules can appear in other parts of the body e.g. in the stomach or neck area (nodular fascitis). They are classified as a benign fibroblast proliferation, they might grow much faster than Dupuytren nodules and disappear much more often. To exclude cancer these nodules are often surgically removed and then histologically analyzed. They also appear in infants. A recent case study: P. Ruoppi, M. Vornanen, and J. Nuutinen "A rapidly progressing periorbital mass in an infant: fasciitis nodularis" Acta Otolaryngol. 124(2004):324-7  abstract. "The danger in fasciitis nodularis is that it is easily considered a malignant process and therefore too radical a tumor therapy is performed." (R. Flesch and P. Hermanek "Nodular Fascitis" Fortschr Med. 94(1976):627-32).

Diabetes

Although the connection is not fully understood, diabetes might be linked to Dupuytren's disease. Adult diabetics have been found to have a 42% incidence of Dupuytren's: Noble J, Heathcote J G, Cohen H. "Diabetes mellitus in the aetiology of Dupuytren’s disease." J Bone Joint Surg 66 (1984):322–5. abstract. The sample size of that study was not very big and larger groups ought to be investigated. More recently Aydeniz et al. reported a higher incidence of Dupuytren's in the diabetic's group than in a non-diabetic control: Aydeniz A, Gursoy S, Guney E "Which musculoskeletal complications are most frequently seen in type 2 diabetes mellitus?" J Int Med Res (2008) 36(3):505-11 abstract.

Epilepsy

Patients with epilepsy have been reported to exhibit a higher prevalence of Dupuytren's than the average population. For epilepsy the link might not be to the disease itself but via specific drugs used to treat epilepsy.

Aggressive fibromatosis

Aggressive fibromatosis is not limited to the hand but can appear anywhere on the body. It is not identical with Dupuytren's disease but similar therapies are being applied, e.g. surgery and radiation therapy.

Vibration white finger

Patients with vibration white finger (VWF), an industrial injury that is also called Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), suffer from Dupuytren's contracture about twice as often as people of a control group. PR Thomans and D. Clarke "Vibration white finger and Dupuytren's contracture: are they related?" Occup Med (Lond). 1992 Aug;42(3):155-8 abstract.

Moving fingers

Moving fingers are typically painless and characterized by slow involuntary movements of the fingers. This very rare disease can potentially be related to Dupuytren's disease. Spiridon Papapetropoulos et al. "Moving Fingers Associated with Dupuytren’s Disease: A Case Report" Eur Neurol 59(2008):96–97 (letter to the editor).

 


Page last modified: 09/04/2018