A new clinical scale of carpal tunnel syndrome: validation of the measurement and clinical-neurophysiological assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To validate a new clinical scale of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The scale is based on clinical history and physical examination findings and includes two figures. The first is a score determined by clinical history and objective findings. The second evaluates the presence/absence of pain as a dichotomous categorical score.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-eight consecutive idiopathic CTS hands were studied in two centers (Rome, Siena). We compare the results of the historical-objective scale (Hi-Ob scale) with the results of other validated measurements of CTS severity: (1) the Italian version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, (2) the neurophysiological classification adopted by the Italian CTS study group. Furthermore, for the Hi-Ob scale the intra-observer and inter-observer evaluations were assessed.


RESULTS
The main Hi-Ob parameter was positively related to the conventional validated measurements. Conversely, the category 'PAIN' of the Hi-Ob scale appeared unrelated to the other clinical and electrophysiological parameters. Intra- and inter-observer evaluation showed the reproducibility of the Hi-Ob assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that the Hi-Ob scale is a reliable measurement which may be useful in CTS evaluation either for clinical or for scientific purposes.
Giannini
F
F
Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Neurologia, Università di Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, 53100 Siena, Italy. gianninif@unisi.it
Cioni
R
R
Mondelli
M
M
Padua
R
R
Gregori
B
B
D'Amico
P
P
Padua
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000295:instrumentation; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires