title: Prevalence of hand syndromes among patients with diabetes mellitus in Taiwan: A population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Population-based data for diabetic hand syndrome (DHS) are limited. The aim of the present epidemiological study was to estimate the overall and cause-specific prevalence and rate ratio (RR) of DHS in patients with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was a cross-sectional study based on a random sample of 57 093 diabetics and matched controls, both identified from Taiwan National Health Insurance claims in 2010. The DHS analyzed in the present study included carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), stenosing flexor tenosynovitis (SFT), limited joint mobility (LJM), and Dupuytren's disease (DD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of overall DHS was estimated at 2472 per 105for the diabetics, compared with 1641 per 105for the controls, representing a prevalence RR of 1.51 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.39-1.64). Stratified analyses further revealed that the significantly increased prevalence of overall DHS was more evident in females than males (1.59 vs 1.36) and was only noted in diabetics aged ≥35 years. Cause-specific analysis suggested that patients with diabetes had the highest prevalence of CTS (1244 per 105), followed by SFT (1209 per 105), LJM (39 per 105), and DD (6 per 105). In addition, diabetes was only significantly associated with CTS (RR 1.34; 95 % CI 1.20-1.51) and SFT (1.74; 95 % CI 1.54-1.97).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of overall and certain cause-specific DHS was significantly elevated in patients with diabetes in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Cochrane Taiwan, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Master Program in Long-Term Care, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Hsuan
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department and Graduate Institute of Public Health, College of Medical, Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.|Department of Family Medicine, Sin-Lau Christian Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Sin-Lau Christian Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lu-Hsuan
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department and Graduate Institute of Public Health, College of Medical, Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Liang-Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Cochrane Taiwan, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ken N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Nien
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Fong
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004387:Dupuytren Contracture / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D053682:Tendon Entrapment / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: cohort study; diabetes hand syndromes; diabetes mellitus; prevalence rate; relative risk; 患病率; 相对风险; 糖尿病; 糖尿病手综合征; 队列研究