What are the reasons for Frozen Shoulder Syndrome?
It is first a strong pain, which affects the whole arm, then it becomes a daily handicap, which prevents the realization of simple tasks. Frozen shoulder syndrome, also called “adhesive capsulitis”, is an inflammation of the shoulder. According to the American Hospital of Paris, she is “linked to a retraction of the capsule that surrounds the shoulder joint“. This causes pain and stiffness in the shoulder. The exact causes of the appearance of the syndrome are not known, but there are risk factors, such as surgery, trauma, tendonitis or even certain diseases. According to a new study, published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgeonthe pathology could be of genetic origin.
Adhesive capsulitis: three genes linked to frozen shoulder syndrome
The authors of this research started from an observation: they noticed that the risk of adhesive capsulitis was higher when one or more family members had already had the syndrome. They thus raised the hypothesis of a genetic origin to this pathology. To find out, they relied on a British database. The scientists used genetic information from 2,142 patients with or without a history of adhesive capsulitis. Three genes caught the team’s attention: WNT7B, POU1F1 and MAU2. The researchers observed the frequency of the syndrome in people with variations in these three genes, compared to people without genetic variations. According to their findings, having all three genetic variations was associated with a six-fold increase in the risk of suffering from frozen shoulder syndrome.
Frozen shoulder syndrome: understanding the causes to better treat it
“Genes found on WNT7B are involved in the creation of bone-forming cells, called “osteoblasts”, and in the regulation of fibrosis, observe the authors. The two other genetic sites identified in the study play a role in cell division, which could explain the appearance of frozen shoulder.” For the authors, the discovery of the causes of this syndrome should make it possible to develop more effective treatments.
Today, adhesive capsulitis is treated with anti-inflammatories, local or oral, and physiotherapy. “In case of failure, various treatments can be considered, including treatment by embolization, and possibly going as far as surgical treatment., indicates the American Hospital of Paris. Embolization is the use of X-rays to block the arteries causing inflammation in the shoulder. For Mark T. Langhans, the discovery of a genetic cause could reduce the use of these medical procedures. “Refining the measure of genetic risk and including it in a broader clinical model could identify patients at risk for adhesive capsulitis, leading to efforts in prevention, early diagnosis, and ultimately improved outcomes. “he concludes.
