Researchers at the Kennedy Institute, University of Oxford, led by Professor Jagdeep Nanchahal have demonstrated the efficacy of the anti-TNF drug adalimumab for patients with early stage Dupuytren’s disease. Dupuytren’s disease is a common condition of the hand that affects about 5% of the UK population and tends to run in families. There is currently no treatment for early disease and typically people have to wait until the condition deteriorates when surgery can be performed. The trial recruited 140 participants with early-stage Dupuytren’s disease who were randomised to receive 4 injections at 3 monthly intervals of either adalimumab (40mg adalimumab in 0.4ml) or saline. 'Dupuytren’s disease is easy to spot at an early stage, so by starting a course of anti-TNF injections could bring long lasting respite and prevent the disease advancing to the stage that surgery is needed.'
