Self-Reported Disability Following Surgery for Dupuytren Contracture in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Background: The aims of this study were to investigate the impact of diabetes mellitus on patient-reported functional outcome measures (PROMs) and satisfaction following surgical treatment of Dupuytren contracture. Methods: Preoperative and 1-year postoperative PROMs were collected prospectively over 6 years (2013–2019). Patients completed the QuickDASH score and were asked ‘how normal is your hand?’, recording responses on a 100-point visual analogue scale. Patient satisfaction was also self-reported. Results: Paired responses were available for 520 hands (478 patients; 72% follow-up rate). There were 62 patients with diabetes (12%). Pre (12.5 vs. 9.1; p = 0.01) and postoperative (11.4 vs. 6.8; p = 0.02) QuickDASH scores were significantly, but not clinically, worse in diabetic patients. Patient satisfaction was high in both groups. A large and significant improvement in self-perceived hand normality was observed in both groups (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in preoperative or change in hand normality between the groups, but the postoperative normal hand score was significantly higher in non-diabetic patients (94 vs. 90; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated statistically significantly worse disability in diabetic patients with Dupuytren contracture both pre- and postoperatively, though the observed differences were far below the minimum clinically important difference for the QuickDASH. Both groups reported a large and statistically significant improvement in self-perceived hand normality following surgery. Level of Evidence: Level III (Therapeutic)