Clinical tests for carpal tunnel syndrome in contemporary practice.
BACKGROUND
A study conducted to establish the most accurate combination of questionnaire and physical signs for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.


METHODS
Nerve conduction studies confirmed 70 patients with having carpal tunnel syndrome who were enrolled along with 70 age- and sex-matched controls. Patients were assessed using a symptom questionnaire, Phalen's test, Hoffmann-Tinel's sign, hand elevation test, carpal compression test, tourniquet test, pressure aesthesiometry and two-point discrimination.


RESULTS
Through multivariate analysis, the best combination of tests was tourniquet, carpal compression and Phalen's tests but the difference between these and hand elevation test alone was negligible.


CONCLUSIONS
The hand elevation test may be used in isolation and is superior to questionnaires and other physical signs in the clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Amirfeyz
Rouin
R
Department of Hand Surgery, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol BS2 8HW, UK. ramirfeyz@yahoo.com
Clark
Damian
D
Parsons
Brian
B
Melotti
Roberto
R
Bhatia
Raj
R
Leslie
Ian
I
Bannister
Gordon
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010808:Physical Examination; D012372:ROC Curve; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires