Metabolic syndrome features and surgical outcomes in Dupuytren's disease: A single-centre retrospective cohort study

Published Date: 29th January 2026

Publication Authors: El-Nahas. W, Iyengar. KP

Background: Dupuytren's disease (DD) is a chronic fibroproliferative disorder increasingly linked to metabolic dysregulation. The relationship between metabolic syndrome-related features and surgical recurrence, however, is uncertain. This study assessed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome-related features in patients undergoing DD surgery and explored their association with a history of documented recurrence.

Patients and methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single NHS hand unit. Demographic and clinical data, including diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypercholesterolaemia, were extracted from electronic records. Recurrence was defined as documented Dupuytren's disease reappearing in the same digit or hand following any previous surgical intervention, rather than recurrence after the index procedure. Descriptive statistics summarised the cohort, and odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) evaluated associations between metabolic syndrome-related features and recurrence.

Results: Eighty patients were included (mean age 69.4 years; 77 % male). Diabetes was present in 14 (17.5 %), obesity in 18 (22.5 %), and hypercholesterolaemia in 20 (25.0 %) of patients; 32 patients (40 %) had at least one metabolic syndrome-related feature. Recurrence occurred in 12 patients (15.0 %). Hypercholesterolaemia demonstrated a borderline association with higher recurrence (30.0 % vs 10.0 %; OR 3.90, 95 % CI 1.08-13.81). Obesity showed a non-significant trend toward higher recurrence (27.8 % vs 11.3 %; OR 3.00). Diabetes demonstrated a non-significant trend toward recurrence (28.6 % vs 12.1 %; OR 2.90). Patients with ≥1 metabolic syndrome-related feature had a higher recurrence rate than those without (25.0 % vs 8.3 %; OR 3.70; p = 0.056).

Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome-related features were common and showed trends toward higher odds of recurrent Dupuytren's disease, particularly hypercholesterolaemia and obesity. These findings are exploratory and hypothesis-generating, highlighting the need for larger prospective studies.

Bakr, A.; El-Nahas, W.; Iyengar, K.P. et al. (2026). Metabolic syndrome features and surgical outcomes in Dupuytren's disease: A single-centre retrospective cohort study. Journal of hand and microsurgery. 18(2), p.100427. [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jham.2026.100427 [Accessed 11 February 2026].