Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewHow Common Is It?By EthnicityCauses & Risk FactorsScreening & Early DetectionSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Overview
How Common Is It?
By Ethnicity
Causes & Risk Factors
Screening & Early Detection
Summary
Dupuytren’s contractureis a disorder that affects the hand. This condition begins with nodules that form in the palm, which can grow into thick cords of tissue. As these cords continue to grow, fingers can be pulled into a bent position, causing a contracture—meaning they are stuck in that position and cannot be straightened out.
This article discusses facts and statistics about Dupuytren’s contracture—how common it is, who it affects, and the risk factors for this condition.
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Dupuytren’s Contracture Overview
Dupuytren’s contracture (also known as Dupuytren’s disease) is a hand condition that occurs when tissue under the skin—calledfascia—becomes abnormally thick.Nodules form and slowly grow into thick cords at the base of the fingers. Over time, the fingers can be pulled into a bent position. While this condition usually is not painful, it can cause significant difficulties with daily tasks.
Is Dupuytren’s Contracture Painful?
How Common Is Dupuytren’s Contracture?
Dupuytren’s contracture is estimated to affect about 1% of the U.S. adult population.However, this number only reflects people who have seen a healthcare provider for treatment of their condition.
In the early stages of the disease, or if the fingers are not affected, treatment is not usually necessary. As a result, this condition is believed to be more common than reported.
In a worldwide sample of more than 6 million people, Dupuytren’s contracture was present in 8.2% of the sampled population.
Dupuytren’s contracture is twice as common in the right hand than in the left. However, around 80% of people with this condition will end up with symptoms in both hands.
In the United States, Dupuytren’s contracture is most common in White Americans of Northern European descent.
Less commonly, it affects the following populations in descending order:
Dupuytren’s contracture most commonly develops between ages 40 and 70. The condition is more common in men than women.
Causes of Dupuytren’s Contracture and Risk Factors
The exactcause of Dupuytren’s contractureis not known. However, certain risk factors make it more likely for a person to develop this condition.
Dupuytren’s contracture often runs in families. Other possible risk factors for this condition include:
Dupuytren’s contracture is also more common in people with certain medical conditions, including:
Lesions in Other Areas of the BodyAbnormal growth of fascia that occurs with Dupuytren’s contracture can affect other parts of the body—including the soles of the feet (Ledderhose’s disease) and the penis (Peyronie’s disease). Approximately 5% of people with Dupuytren’s contracture will also have these conditions.
Lesions in Other Areas of the Body
Abnormal growth of fascia that occurs with Dupuytren’s contracture can affect other parts of the body—including the soles of the feet (Ledderhose’s disease) and the penis (Peyronie’s disease). Approximately 5% of people with Dupuytren’s contracture will also have these conditions.
Screening and Early Detection of Dupuytren’s Contracture
There are no official screening tests for Dupuytren’s contracture. Early on, individuals with this condition typically notice nodules that have formed in their palms at the base of their fingers. Some people might not notice the condition until they are unable to straighten their fingers fully or place their hand flat on the table.
Early detection of Dupuytren’s contracture does not prevent it from progressing. However, it could make a difference in treatment options available to help correct the deformity (nonsurgical versus surgical). Even with treatment, Dupuytren’s contracture canrecur.
7 Treatment Options for Dupuytren’s Contracture
Dupuytren’s contracture affects about 1% of the population in the United States, but it is also likely that the condition is underreported.It most commonly begins in middle age and most often affects Caucasian adults of Northern European descent.Dupuytren’s contracture also runs in families.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is dupuytren’s contracture?Dupuytren Research Group.What areas are most often affected?American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Dupuytren’s contracture.National Library of Medicine.Dupuytren contracture.DiBenedetti DB, Nguyen D, Zografos L, et al.Prevalence, incidence, and treatments of Dupuytren’s disease in the United States: Results from a population-based study.Hand (NY). 2011;6(2):149-158. doi:10.1007/s11552-010-9306-4Dupuytren Research Group.How common is dupuytren disease?Salari N, Heydari M, Hassanabadi M, et al.The worldwide prevalence of the dupuytren disease: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2020;15:495. doi:10.1186/s13018-020-01999-7Dupuytren Research Group.Dupuytren facts and figures.Mansur HG, Oliveira ER de, Gonçalves CB.Epidemiological analysis of patients with dupuytren’s disease.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;53(1):10-14. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.12.003Divino VM, DeKoven M, Hurley D.Return-to-function following treatment of dupuytren contracture with collagenase clostridium histolyticum versus fasciectomy.Hand (NY). 2022;17(3):491-498. doi:10.1177/1558944720919923
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is dupuytren’s contracture?Dupuytren Research Group.What areas are most often affected?American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Dupuytren’s contracture.National Library of Medicine.Dupuytren contracture.DiBenedetti DB, Nguyen D, Zografos L, et al.Prevalence, incidence, and treatments of Dupuytren’s disease in the United States: Results from a population-based study.Hand (NY). 2011;6(2):149-158. doi:10.1007/s11552-010-9306-4Dupuytren Research Group.How common is dupuytren disease?Salari N, Heydari M, Hassanabadi M, et al.The worldwide prevalence of the dupuytren disease: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2020;15:495. doi:10.1186/s13018-020-01999-7Dupuytren Research Group.Dupuytren facts and figures.Mansur HG, Oliveira ER de, Gonçalves CB.Epidemiological analysis of patients with dupuytren’s disease.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;53(1):10-14. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.12.003Divino VM, DeKoven M, Hurley D.Return-to-function following treatment of dupuytren contracture with collagenase clostridium histolyticum versus fasciectomy.Hand (NY). 2022;17(3):491-498. doi:10.1177/1558944720919923
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is dupuytren’s contracture?Dupuytren Research Group.What areas are most often affected?American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Dupuytren’s contracture.National Library of Medicine.Dupuytren contracture.DiBenedetti DB, Nguyen D, Zografos L, et al.Prevalence, incidence, and treatments of Dupuytren’s disease in the United States: Results from a population-based study.Hand (NY). 2011;6(2):149-158. doi:10.1007/s11552-010-9306-4Dupuytren Research Group.How common is dupuytren disease?Salari N, Heydari M, Hassanabadi M, et al.The worldwide prevalence of the dupuytren disease: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2020;15:495. doi:10.1186/s13018-020-01999-7Dupuytren Research Group.Dupuytren facts and figures.Mansur HG, Oliveira ER de, Gonçalves CB.Epidemiological analysis of patients with dupuytren’s disease.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;53(1):10-14. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.12.003Divino VM, DeKoven M, Hurley D.Return-to-function following treatment of dupuytren contracture with collagenase clostridium histolyticum versus fasciectomy.Hand (NY). 2022;17(3):491-498. doi:10.1177/1558944720919923
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is dupuytren’s contracture?
Dupuytren Research Group.What areas are most often affected?
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Dupuytren’s contracture.
National Library of Medicine.Dupuytren contracture.
DiBenedetti DB, Nguyen D, Zografos L, et al.Prevalence, incidence, and treatments of Dupuytren’s disease in the United States: Results from a population-based study.Hand (NY). 2011;6(2):149-158. doi:10.1007/s11552-010-9306-4
Dupuytren Research Group.How common is dupuytren disease?
Salari N, Heydari M, Hassanabadi M, et al.The worldwide prevalence of the dupuytren disease: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.J Orthop Surg Res. 2020;15:495. doi:10.1186/s13018-020-01999-7
Dupuytren Research Group.Dupuytren facts and figures.
Mansur HG, Oliveira ER de, Gonçalves CB.Epidemiological analysis of patients with dupuytren’s disease.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;53(1):10-14. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.12.003
Divino VM, DeKoven M, Hurley D.Return-to-function following treatment of dupuytren contracture with collagenase clostridium histolyticum versus fasciectomy.Hand (NY). 2022;17(3):491-498. doi:10.1177/1558944720919923
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