Asian ethnicity: a risk factor for adhesive capsulitis?

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Asian ethnicity is a risk factor for the development of adhesive capsulitis. The secondary aim was to describe the distribution of cases of capsulitis by age group.

Methods

A cross-sectional study comparing the rate of adhesive capsulitis in individuals of Asian ethnicity with that of other ethnicities. We excluded patients with fractures and those with symptoms not involving the shoulder. The odds ratio was adjusted for confounding factors by binary logistic regression.

Results

A total of 1331 patient records were evaluated and after applying the selection criteria, 814 patients remained. We found 134 cases of adhesive capsulitis (15.6%). The peak of incidence was at 60–64 years in the patients of Asian ethnicity and at 55–59 years in the other patients. The unadjusted odds ratio was 4.2 (CI 95%, 2.4–7.4), while the odds ratio adjusted for sex and diabetes mellitus was 3.6 (CI 95%, 2.0–6.5).

Conclusion

Patients of Asian ethnicity showed an independent risk factor for the development of adhesive capsulitis, with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.6. Adhesive capsulitis was more common between 55 and 64 years.