A peculiar case of hand wrist cumulative trauma disorder: The rags unlining in the textile industry of Prato (Italy) [La sindrome degli sfoderatori di stracci: una nuova entità clinica?]

A group of 104 workers were examined. They were employed in selecting rags and separating the lining from wollen fabrics to be used again as thread waste in the textile industry. The aim of the study was to point out tendon and joint related disorders of the upper limb due to repetitive and forced movements. Twenty-eight (26,9%) workers complained of hand and wrist echography and thermography. In 19 patients (67,8%) clinical carpal tunnel syndrome was diagnosed. Eight workers (28,5%) had Dupuytren's contracture. Swelling of the fingers was found in 23 (82,1%). 14,2% and 28,5% of the workers showed respectively acro-osteolysis and acrosclerosis. The textile industry of Prato shows peculiar characters: the workers employed in selecting rags out a manual job which causes soft tissues and skeletal disorders in a great number of them. The acro-osteolytic and acrosclerotic changes of the fingers seem alike the bone disorders of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases as seronegative spondyloarthritis.