Büşra DEMİRTAŞ, Mustafa Turgut YILDIZGÖREN
Archives of Health Science and Research - 2025;12(1):1-2
Dear Editor, We read with interest the recent article by Tezen et al,1 "Comparison of the Efficacy of Radial and Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Dupuytren's Disease: A Pilot Study," published in your journal. We commend the authors for exploring an important and relatively under-investi- gated area in the treatment of Dupuytren's disease. While the study offers valuable initial insights into the use of different shock wave therapies, we believe that some methodological points deserve further attention. Specifically, the absence of clinical or ultrasonographic staging for Dupuytren's disease among participants may raise questions about the comparability of the treatment groups and the interpretation of the results. It is well established that the stage of Dupuytren's disease-whether patients have nodules, cords, or contractures-can greatly affect both the disease course and the response to non-surgical interventions.2,3 Without detailed information on the distribution of disease stages in each group, it becomes challenging to determine whether the observed differences in outcomes are due to the treatment modalities themselves or to underly- ing differences in disease severity at baseline. Additionally, the lack of subgroup analysis based on disease stage limits the ability to identify which patient populations might benefit most from radial or focused shock wave therapy. Future research that includes standardized clinical and ultrasonographic staging, along with stratified analy- ses, would provide more definitive evidence to inform clinical practice. We appreciate the authors' efforts in conducting this pilot study and hope that our comments will help stimulate further discussion and research in this field.
