Incidence rates of surgically treated idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome in blue- and white-collar workers and housewives in Tuscany, Italy.
OBJECTIVE
Rates of surgically treated carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among blue- and white-collar workers and housewives in the general population were compared.


METHODS
Surgically treated cases of idiopathic CTS were investigated among 25-59-year-old residents of Tuscany, Italy, during 1997-2000, based on obligatory discharge records from all Italian public/private hospitals, archived according to residence on Tuscany's regional database. Population data were extracted from the 2001 census.


RESULTS
After excluding repeat admissions, 8801 eligible cases were identified. Age-standardised rates (per 100 000 person-years) of surgical CTS were: "blue-collar women", 367.8; "white-collar women", 88.1; "housewives", 334.5; "blue-collar men", 73.5; and "white-collar men", 15.3. Compared with reference categories (same-sex white-collar workers): female blue-collar workers experienced a 4.2-fold higher standardised rate; housewives, a 3.8-fold excess; and male blue-collar workers, a 4.8-fold excess (all p<0.001). Male and female blue-collar workers showed approximately three to sevenfold higher age-specific rates compared to their white-collar counterparts (all p<0.001). Housewives' rates were similar to those of blue-collar female workers up to 40-44 years of age, after which they were significantly lower (p<0.002). At all ages, housewives' rates were much higher (p<0.001) than those of white-collar women.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgically treated CTS was three to seven times more common (depending on age/gender) in blue-collar than in white-collar workers, which is difficult to explain by differences in body weight or other individual factors. Thus, occupational risk factors seem relevant throughout working life. The high rates for full-time housewives suggest that domestic chores should be investigated as a possible risk factor for CTS.
Mattioli
S
S
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, dell'Invecchiamento e Malattie Nefrologiche, University of Bologna, Italy. s.mattioli@unibo.it
Baldasseroni
A
A
Curti
S
S
Cooke
R M T
RM
Mandes
A
A
Zanardi
F
F
Farioli
A
A
Buiatti
E
E
Campo
G
G
Violante
F S
FS
D000328:Adult; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018454:Spouses