title: Attributable risk of carpal tunnel syndrome according to industry and occupation in a general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An epidemiologic surveillance network for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was set up in the general population of a French region to assess the proportion of CTS cases attributable to work in high-risk industries and occupations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases of CTS occurring among patients ages 20-59 years living in the Maine and Loire region were included prospectively from 2002 to 2004. Medical and occupation history was gathered by mailed questionnaire for 815 women and 320 men. Age-adjusted relative risks of CTS and the attributable risk fractions of CTS among exposed persons (AFEs) were computed in relation to industry sectors and occupation categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one industry sectors and 8 occupational categories for women and 10 sectors and 6 occupational categories for men were characterized by a significant excess risk of CTS. High AFE values were observed in the manufacturing (42-93% for both sexes), construction (66% for men), and personal service industries (66% for women) and in the trade and commerce sectors (49% for women). High AFE values were observed in lower-grade white-collar occupations for women (43-67%) and blue-collar occupations for men (60-74%) and women (48-88%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The attributable proportions of CTS cases among workers employed in industry sectors and occupation categories identified at high risk of CTS varied between 36% and 93%.
authors.affiliation: Université d'Angers, Laboratoire d'Ergonomie et d'Epidémiologie en Santé au Travail, IFR 132, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Angers, France. YvRoquelaure@chu-angers.fr
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roquelaure
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pélier-Cady
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariot
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Descatha
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raimbeau
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Imbernon