title: Associations of cardiovascular risk factors, carotid intima-media thickness and manifest atherosclerotic vascular disease with carpal tunnel syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of atherosclerosis in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has not previously been addressed in population studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of cardiovascular risk factors, carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), and clinical atherosclerotic diseases with CTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross sectional study, the target population consisted of subjects aged 30 or over who had participated in the national Finnish Health Survey in 2000-2001. Of the 7977 eligible subjects, 6254 (78.4%) were included in our study. Carotid IMT was measured in a sub-sample of subjects aged 45 to 74 (N=1353).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obesity (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-5.4), high LDL cholesterol (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6-9.1 for >190 vs. <129 mg/dL), high triglycerides (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2-6.1 for >200 vs. <150 mg/dL), hypertension (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.6-7.4) and cardiac arrhythmia (OR 10.2, 95% CI 2.7-38.4) were associated with CTS in subjects aged 30-44. In the age group of 60 years or over, coronary artery disease (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.5), valvular heart disease (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.0) and carotid IMT (1.4, 95% CI 0.9-2.1 for each 0.23 mm increase) were associated with CTS. Carotid IMT was associated with CTS only in subjects with hypertension or clinical atherosclerotic vascular disease, or in those who were exposed to physical workload factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest an association between CTS and cardiovascular risk factors in young people, and carotid IMT and clinical atherosclerotic vascular disease in older people. CTS may either be a manifestation of atherosclerosis, or both conditions may share similar risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Expertise for Health and Work Ability, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. rahman.shiri@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Rahman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shiri
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heliövaara
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liira
authors.forename: Eira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viikari-Juntura
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology*