Effect of severity of Dupuytren contracture on disability

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the severity of Dupuytren contracture and disability. The American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines were used to assess the impairment for each involved hand. The disability of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire was used for evaluating the disability. Eighty patients with 102 involved hands were enrolled. The mean total flexion contracture was 119 degrees /hand or 65 degrees /ray. The mean DASH score was 15 (range 0-69). There was no significant correlation between the DASH score on one hand and the total flexion contracture, the mean flexion contraction/finger, the mean flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP), the mean flexion contracture of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), the number of involved hands, fingers or joints, and the AMA impairment rating on the other hand.