Epidemiological evaluation of Dupuytren's disease incidence and prevalence rates in relation to etiology.

Dupuytren's Disease (DD) is a common, fibroproliferative disorder affecting the palmar surface of the hands which is often irreversible and progressive. Understanding the epidemiology of DD is important in order to provide clues to its etiopathogenesis. This review aims to evaluate the epidemiological studies carried out in DD since 1951. Studies evaluating the epidemiology of DD were searched using Medline, Pubmed, and Scopus which dated back from 1951 to current date. Inclusion criteria were any studies investigating the prevalence or incidence of DD in any population group. A total of 620 articles were cited. Forty-nine studies were subsequently identified as relevant to evaluating the epidemiology of DD. The prevalence of DD in all studies increased with age with a male to female ratio of approximately 5.9:1. Prevalence rates ranged from 0.2% to 56% in varying age, population groups, and methods of data collection. The highest prevalence rate was reported in a study group of epileptic patients. Although, only one study calculated the incidence (as opposed to prevalence) of DD to be equal to 34.3 per 100,000 men (0.03%). In conclusion, the prevalence of DD in different geographical locations is extremely variable, and it is not clear whether this is genetic, environmental, or a combination of both. The majority of the prevalence studies have been conducted in Scandinavia or the UK, and the vast changes in population structure, the changes in prevalence of associated diseases, and the change in diagnostic criteria of DD makes understanding the epidemiology of this condition difficult.