Personal, Biomechanical and Psychosocial Risk Factors for De Quervain’s Disease in the Working Population

Objective: De Quervain " s disease (DQD) is a significant cause of musculoskeletal pain among workers. The aim of this study was to assess the relative importance of personal and occupational risk factors for DQD in the working population. Methods: A total of 3,710 workers of a French region were randomly included in the study between 2002 and 2005. A total of 50 cases of DQD were diagnosed by 83 trained occupational physicians performing a standardized physical examination, and individual factors and work exposure were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical associations between DQD and individual and occupational factors were analyzed using logistic regression modeling. Results: The prevalence rates of uni-or bilateral DQD for the whole, male and female working populations were 1. Personal risk factors for DQD were mainly age (OR up to 3.6) and female gender (OR 5.6) and, to a lesser extent, associated carpal tunnel syndrome and/or flexor/extensor hand-wrist tendinitis (OR 10.6). Work-related factors were work pace dependent on technical organization (OR 2.4), repeated or sustained wrist bending in extreme posture (OR 2.5) and screwing movements (OR 3.7). No association was found with psychosocial factors. Conclusion: Personal and work-related factors were associated with DQD in the working population, and wrist bending and screwing movements were the most significant of the work-related factors.