Is Dupuytren's disease an occupational illness?

There is growing evidence for the risk of Dupuytren's disease (DD) from occupational exposure. For workers exposed to hand-transmitted vibrations (HTVs) and heavy manual work (HMW) who develop the disease, the inclusion of DD in hand-arm vibration syndrome and diseases of skeletal muscle overload could be beneficial for compensation purposes.

To assess the risk of DD in workers exposed to HTVs and HMW, and to evaluate the length of exposure times that may significantly affect the development of DD.

This study included male workers in Košice, Slovak Republic. Participants were divided into three groups: those exposed to HTVs, those exposed to HMW and controls. We evaluated the association between DD and HTVs, HMW, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, epilepsy, smoking and alcohol consumption for all groups. We also compared the length of exposure time to HTV and HMW between workers with and without DD.

The sample was comprised of 515 men, with 13% suffering from DD. Significant associations were found between DD and HTVs (OR 4.59 [95% CI 2.05-10.32]) and HMV (OR 3.10 [95% CI 1.21-7.91]). Highly significant associations were found between DD and older ages and alcohol consumption as well. No associations were found for the other variables. Exposure times greater than 15 years significantly increased the risk for DD (P < 0.01).

This study confirms a significant association between DD and both HTVs and HMW after long exposures. We suggest that DD should be considered as an occupational disease.