Significant Risk Factors Of Dupuytren's Contracture

Ancestry

An individual's ancestry may place them at an increased risk of developing the Dupuytren's contracture deformity. Caucasian skinned individuals are the group most affected by this deformity. Between four and six percent of Caucasians are affected worldwide by Dupuytren's contracture. The risk becomes tripled if a Caucasian individual's ancestry is from any location across northern Europe. Individuals of Asian descent are affected by this deformity at a rate of three percent worldwide. A concentration of Dupuytren's contracture has been reported in a few other countries such as Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and East Africa. This deformity is a rare occurrence in individuals of Native American or Indian descent. It is also uncommon in individuals who have Hispanic ancestry. While a family history of the deformity is a different risk factor in itself, changes in the 16q gene have been reported in individuals who are a part of numerous generations of specific origins. The geographical relationship in these factors suggests this deformity occurred in ancestors who needed to have a strong hand.

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