Parchment Crunch Symptom

Dupuytren's symptom (parchment symptom) is a pathological change in the skin of the anterior parts of the forearm and hand from the fingers to the wrist joint, characterized by the lag of the skin from the underlying muscles when the hand is clenched into a fist.

This symptom was described by the French surgeon Jean-Sisimon Dupuy in 1850, so the symptom received his name - Dupuytren's sign.

The symptom of parchment is a typical skin fold of the hands extended forward, which resembles a sheet of paper - parchment. This is caused by uneven deposition of fiber, which accumulates excess proteins. Often the symptom is accompanied by pain and deterioration in finger movements. It occurs against the background of joint pathology (carpal tunnel syndrome, neuritis) or systemic diseases (in men - with systemic sclerosis and amyloidosis, in women - with systemic lupus erythematosus). It is observed more often in mature and elderly men. On the palm and nail phalanges, dense strands of a thick layer of connective tissue are formed, while the fascia of the hand is flattened. As a result, the volume of the limb decreases, its movements are difficult or completely lost.

In general, Dupuytrein's symptoms are quite rare, accounting for less than 6% of all hand diseases. The causes of this symptom may be injuries, heavy physical activity, infectious diseases such as smallpox, malaria, tuberculosis, as well as metabolic disorders and hormonal dysfunctions. But these reasons are not always associated with physical illness. The following are the most common diseases that can lead to the development of this symptom: