Risk Factors for Dupuytren's Contracture: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Vascular Medicine
• Clinical Biochemistry

Background:

• Dupuytren's contracture (DC) is a progressive condition affecting hand function.
• Identifying risk factors and predictive markers is crucial for early intervention and management of DC.
• Previous research has explored various factors, but a comprehensive analysis of biochemical and coagulation markers is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the independent risk factors associated with the development of Dupuytren's contracture.
• To evaluate the predictive efficacy of specific blood biochemical and coagulation-related indexes for DC occurrence.
• To provide a clinical reference for the prevention and treatment of DC.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study was conducted involving 21 DC patients and 31 controls.
• Clinical data were collected retrospectively from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University (Qingdao).
• Multivariate logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were employed to identify risk factors and assess predictive values.

Main Results:

• Male sex (HR=19.69) and diabetes (HR=7.61) were identified as significant independent risk factors for DC.
• ROC analysis demonstrated predictive value for cystatin C (AUC=0.7565), blood chloride (AUC=0.8121), fibrinogen (AUC=0.7796), D-dimer (AUC=0.8740), and thrombin time (AUC=0.7803).
• The combined detection of these markers yielded a high predictive value (AUC=0.9441).

Conclusions:

• Male sex and diabetes mellitus are confirmed as independent risk factors for Dupuytren's contracture.
• A combination of cystatin C, blood chloride, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and thrombin time offers significant potential for predicting DC.
• These findings support the development of novel diagnostic and prognostic tools for DC.