title: Long-term symptom outcomes of carpal tunnel syndrome and its treatment.
abstract: A retrospective follow-up study of a population-based case series was conducted to determine the clinical course and outcomes of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A total of 425 cases first diagnosed between 1979 and 1988 were followed through 1993. Among patients who did not have surgery, median duration of symptoms was between 6 and 9 months, but 22% had symptoms for 8 years or longer. Patients who had surgery were about 6 times more likely to have resolution of their symptoms than were patients who did not have surgery. Patients who had surgery 3 or more years after their initial diagnosis of CTS were less than half as likely to have symptom resolution than were patients who had surgery within 3 years of diagnosis. The results indicate that surgery is a highly effective treatment, but duration of CTS prior to surgery is a key determinant of surgical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Marshfield Medical Research Foundation, WI, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: DeStefano
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Nordstrom
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vierkant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013165:Splints; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal