Responsiveness of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire in carpal tunnel surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Symptom resolution and functional improvement are the 2 primary reasons for patients to seek treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This study aimed to measure the responsiveness of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) when evaluating outcomes after carpal tunnel surgery.


METHODS
Fifty patients prospectively completed the MHQ and the DASH before and 6 months after open carpal tunnel release. Data were analyzed using paired t tests and responsiveness to clinical change was calculated by using standardized response means (SRMs).


RESULTS
All domains of the MHQ significantly improved after carpal tunnel release: the pain scale had a large SRM of 0.9 and the function scale showed medium responsiveness of 0.6. The combined function/symptom scale of the DASH significantly improved after surgery; the SRM revealed a medium effect of 0.7.


CONCLUSIONS
The MHQ and the DASH are both responsive in measuring outcomes of carpal tunnel surgery. The MHQ has subscales that can measure symptom and function improvement independently. The MHQ and the DASH can be used for outcomes research related to carpal tunnel surgery with the advantage of also being useful for assessing and comparing outcomes for various other hand disorders.
Kotsis
Sandra V
SV
Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, 2130 Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0340, USA.
Chung
Kevin C
KC
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires