Dupuytren's disease in the northern part of Germany. Epidemiological features of more than 500 cases

Dupuytren's disease is the classical hand illness of the north: it affects people of Celtic or Viking descent throughout the whole of northern Europe, whereas it is an unknown disease in the Mediterranean region. Dupuytren's contracture appears to be an extremity-related disease. Owing to the unclear etiology and a lack of up-to-date demographic data for northern Germany this study aims - together with the literature - to elucidate the role of associated illnesses in an attempt to discover pathogenic explanations. 566 patients suffering from Dupuytren's disease in the area around Hanover were analysed with respect to epidemiological features and their Tubiana contracture stage. 91.2% were of pure northern German stock, 12.5% had a family predisposition. The male-to-female ratio was 7:1. Men were afflicted on average at the age of 56 years. Intellectuals were scored 3.17, while manual workers scored 4.21. There were pre-existing ipsilateral lesions in 1 5% of cases. 55.1% had bilateral contracture. Ectopic penile and plantar fibrosis or knuckle pads were found in 6.7% of cases. The distribution of stages I-IV decreased by 2.4% from 59.1% among the 1,808 afflicted finger rays. With a score of 3.7-3.72, drinkers and smokers presented significantly more severe contractures, whlie the 8.2% of diabetics displayed a milder form. Among the epileptics - all of whom were affected bilaterally - the Tubiana stage of 3.71 exceeded the median manual score of 3.63 for the group as a whole. Thus Dupuytren's disease is a general but not an exclusively extremity-related sickness. The androtropy is pathognomic. Women develop the disease one decade later than men. In old age the male-to-female ratio equalises. Drinkers, smokers and heavy manual workers present a more severe affliction, while diabetics suffer from a significantly less severe form. Although the ulnar type dominates, the radial type accounts for 14.4% of cases. 1.9 million Germans are chronically ill because of Dupuytren's disease. Despite a trauma history, Dupuytren's disease is not recognized as an occupational disease.