Palmaris Longus Muscle and Dupuytren (Palmaris)

March 6, 2026 updated by: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

The Potential Relationship Between the Palmaris Longus Muscle Prevalence and Dupuytren Disease: a Comparative Study

Dupuytren disease is a medical condition characterized by the painless formation of nodules in the palm of the hand. Cords are formed on the palmar fascia, a connective tissue sheet in the palm of the hand. This fascia is seen as the vestigial remnant of the palmaris longus tendon. The PLM attaches to the fascia palmaris. A muscle that not everyone has and can therefore be clearly missed. This raises the question of whether the presence of the musculus palmaris longus has any association with the development, recurrence and/or progression of DD and contractures. To investigate a potential predisposition, this study intend to assess the prevalence of the PLM in a group of individuals affected by DD and compare it with a control group (age matched, no signs of DD) without the condition.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Dupuytren disease is also known as Dupuytren contracture. It is a medical condition characterized by the painless formation of nodules in the palm of the hand. As the disease progresses, approximately 21% - 50% of all patients experience a transformation of these nodules (stage 0/N of Tubiana) into cord-like structures. These cords, in turn, lead to finger contractures (Tubiana stages 1-4) with impairment of hand mobility and stiffening of the palmar skin. The cords are formed on the palmar fascia, a connective tissue sheet in the palm of the hand. This fascia is seen as the vestigial remnant of the palmaris longus tendon. The PLM attaches to the fascia palmaris. A muscle that not everyone has and can therefore be clearly missed. This raises the question of whether the presence of the musculus palmaris longus has any association with the development, recurrence and/or progression of DD and contractures. To investigate a potential predisposition, this study intend to assess the prevalence of the PLM in a group of individuals affected by DD and compare it with a control group (age matched, no signs of DD) without the condition. Interestingly, prior research has already explored this topic. Despite the publication dating back to 1986, it reported a significantly higher occurrence of the palmaris longus tendon in patients affected by DD. Furthermore, a second article from the same year concluded a significant decrease in recurrence when the palmaris longus tendon was resected in combination with regional fasciectomy. Remarkably, no other research on this topic was found despite the promising results of both articles.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
243

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Belgium
    • Vlaams-Brabant
      • Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium, 3000
        • Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The participant or his/her legally authorized representative voluntary signed the informed consent prior to the first assessment.
  • 50 years of age or higher.
  • Has Dupuytren disease (primary or recurrent). (Only applicable for participants of DD group)
  • Has no medical conditions affecting the function of the hand (musculoskeletal pathology, vascular or neurological conditions such as CRPS, rheumatoid arthritis and paralysis). (Only applicable for participants of control group)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients < 50 years
  • Patients with cognitive impairments.
  • Patients showing signs of medical conditions affecting the function of the hand (musculoskeletal pathology, vascular or neurological conditions such as CRPS, rheumatoid arthritis and paralysis). (Only applicable for participants of control group)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Patients with Dupuytren disease
120 individuals diagnosed with Dupuytren disease (primary or recurrent).
Procedure: Non-invasive tests to determine the presence or absence of the palmaris longus tendon in both hands.
Schaeffer's test (flexion of the wrist while the pinky and thumb are pressed against each other) Thompson's test (wrist flexion with a clenched fist) Mishra test I (wrist flexion while the examiner pushes the hand back) Mashra test II (thumb opposition while flexing the wrist)
Procedure: Ultrasound
A small mobile ultrasound device will be used to further asses the presence of the tendon.
Experimental: Healthy controls
120 participants with no other medical conditions affecting the function of the hand (musculoskeletal pathology, vascular or neurological conditions such as CRPS, rheumatoid arthritis and paralysis).
Procedure: Non-invasive tests to determine the presence or absence of the palmaris longus tendon in both hands.
Schaeffer's test (flexion of the wrist while the pinky and thumb are pressed against each other) Thompson's test (wrist flexion with a clenched fist) Mishra test I (wrist flexion while the examiner pushes the hand back) Mashra test II (thumb opposition while flexing the wrist)
Procedure: Ultrasound
A small mobile ultrasound device will be used to further asses the presence of the tendon.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
PLM in the DD versus control
Time Frame: Baseline
Percentual prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Muscle in the Dupuytren Disease-group versus the control group.
Baseline
PML in mild versus severe DD-group
Time Frame: Baseline
Percentual prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Muscle in the mild (stage 0/N of Tubiana) Dupuytren Disease-group versus the severe (Tubiana stages 1-4) Dupuytren Disease-group.
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
PLM presence in DD affected group
Time Frame: Baseline
Percentual prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Muscle in the Dupuytren Disease-group
Baseline
PLM presence in control group
Time Frame: Baseline
Percentual prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Muscle in the control group
Baseline
Dominant versus non-dominant hand
Time Frame: Baseline
Percentual prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Muscle in the dominant hand versus the non-dominant hand for both Dupuytren Disease-group and control group.
Baseline
Male versus female population
Time Frame: Baseline
Percentual prevalence of the Palmaris Longus Muscle in male versus female population.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ilse Degreef, Prof. Dr., Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 16, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 28, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 28, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 19, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 26, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 28, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • S68374

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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