title: Dupuytren's Contracture in Alabama HFE Hemochromatosis Probands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dupuytren's contracture (DC) and HFE hemochromatosis occur in some of the same at-risk populations and present with similar comorbid conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated DC prevalence in two cohorts of white Alabama hemochromatosis probands (294 C282Y homozygotes, 67 C282Y/H63D compound heterozygotes) in a retrospective study. We performed logistic regressions on DC using the following independent variables: age, body mass index, heavy ethanol consumption, serum ferritin, elevated serum AST/ALT, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One man and two women with C282Y homozygosity had DC (prevalence 1.02%; 95% CI 0.35%-2.96%). A man with C282Y/H63D had DC (prevalence 1.49%; 95% CI 0.26%-7.98%). DC occurred as an autosomal dominant trait in his kinship. In regression analyses, no single variable predicted DC. We observed no new DC cases after the diagnosis of hemochromatosis (mean follow-up 12.9 ± 7.5 years (1 SD), and 9.0 ± 5.1 years, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our prevalence estimates of DC in white Alabama hemochromatosis probands are similar to those found in the white US population cohorts. DC risk was unrelated to the variables we studied.
authors.affiliation: Southern Iron Disorders Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: J Clayborn
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barton