title: A correlative electrophysiologic study of nerve fiber involvement in carpal tunnel syndrome using current perception thresholds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To relate clinical severity of idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) to current perception threshold (CPT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 51 patients with CTS (involving 51 hands), and 50 healthy control subjects (50 hands). Involved hands were grouped into three clinical grades (mild, moderate, severe). Using a neurometer (Neurotron, Baltimore, MD), we investigated the relationship between clinical grade and CPT abnormalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the mild CTS group, most hands showed CPT abnormalities only at 2000 Hz stimulation. The moderate group included a higher percentage of hands showing abnormalities at both 2000 and 250 Hz stimulation increased. The severe group included the highest percentage of hands with abnormal values at all frequencies tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CPT showed abnormalities appear progressively from 'higher to lower' frequency stimulations relative to the increasing severity of CTS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sensory nerve fiber dysfunction apparently begins in larger fibers, extending stepwise to smaller fibers as the clinical grade of CTS progresses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. akiyo@zeus.eonet.ne.jp
authors.forename: Akiyo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hase
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makinodan
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hojo
authors.forename: Yasukazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsumi
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*