Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 19-24, January 2007

The Relationship Between Electrodiagnostic Findings and Patient Symptoms and Function in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Leighton Chan, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to Leighton Chan, MD, MPH, Dept of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Box 356490, Seattle, WA 98195-6490.
    • ,
  • Judith A. Turner, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • ,
  • Bryan A. Comstock, MS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • ,
  • Linda M. Levenson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • ,
  • William Hollingworth, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
    • ,
  • Patrick J. Heagerty, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • ,
  • Michel Kliot, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • ,
  • Jeffrey G. Jarvik, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurosurgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    • Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Abstract 

Chan L, Turner JA, Comstock BA, Levenson LM, Hollingworth W, Heagerty PJ, Kliot M, Jarvik JG. The relationship between electrodiagnostic findings and patient symptoms and function in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Objective

To examine whether, in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), electrodiagnostic study findings were associated with patient symptom severity and functional limitations after controlling for potentially confounding variables including depression, somatization, and pain-related catastrophizing.

Design

Cross-sectional design including data from 2 ongoing CTS studies.

Setting

Patients enrolled from hospitals and clinics in Washington State between October 2002 and February 2006.

Participants

Adults with CTS (N=215) (based on symptoms and abnormal electrodiagnostic findings) were analyzed. Exclusion criteria were any mass, tumor, severe trauma, or deformity in the hand or wrist, radiculopathy, polyneuropathy, pregnancy, lactation, or severe CTS.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Assessment Questionnaire (CTSAQ) functional status scale assessed the ability to perform 9 common hand-related tasks. The CTSAQ symptom severity scale included 11 items that assess pain, numbness, and weakness. Patients also rated their average hand and wrist pain in the last month.

Results

With and without controlling for patient characteristics, including age, sex, body mass index, symptom duration, depression, somatization, and pain-related catastrophizing, there were no statistically significant relationships between the electrodiagnostic findings and patient functional status and symptom severity.

Conclusions

Electrodiagnostic findings and patient CTS-related symptoms and function appear to be independent measures. Clinicians and researchers interested in CTS outcomes need to assess both.

Key Words: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Electrodiagnosis, Rehabilitation, Treatment outcome

 

 Supported by the Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (grant no. P60 AR48093).No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated. The views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the University of Washington.Reprints are not available from the author.

PII: S0003-9993(06)01421-3

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2006.10.013

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 19-24, January 2007

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