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Risk factors and possible causes

Dupuytren's disease is a very specific affliction, and primarily affects:

* People of Scandinavian or Northern European ancestry;[3] it has been called the "Viking disease",[4] though it is also widespread in some Mediterranean countries (e.g. Spain and Bosnia) and in Japan.[5]

* Men rather than women (men are ten times as likely to develop the condition)[3]

* People over the age of 40

* People with a family history (60 to 70% of those afflicted have a genetic predisposition to Dupuytren's contracture)[6]

* People with liver cirrhosis

Some suspected, but unproven causes of Dupuytren's contracture include trauma, diabetes, alcoholism, epilepsy therapy with phenytoin and liver disease. There is no proven evidence that hand injuries or specific occupational exposures lead to a higher risk of developing Dupuytren’s disease although there is some speculation that Dupuytren's may be caused or at least the onset may be triggered by physical trauma, such as manual labor or other over-exertion of the hands. However, the fact that Dupuytren's is not connected with handedness casts some doubt on this claim.[3]

DJD