Prognosis
Dupuytren contracture is progressive, with 75% of patients developing features of more advanced stages of the disease. Men seem to progress more rapidly than women, and patients <50 years of age tend to progress more rapidly than older patients. Although most patients will progress in severity, about 10% will regress. Many patients with nodules or cords do not progress to contracture, as evidenced by a Scandinavian study where only 35% of patients developed contracture during an 18-year follow-up period.[64] Smoking and alcohol use increases the likelihood of progression to surgery. There is currently no proven preventative treatment that can interrupt the progression of contracture.[22]
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