title: Role of anthropometric characteristics in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible association of external and ultrasonographic measurements of the hand and wrist with median nerve conduction studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two group comparison study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient neurophysiology laboratory and radiology department in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient group (n=50; 40 women) with clinically overt and electrophysiologically proven idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome and a control group of age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (n=50).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following measurements were taken: (1) motor and sensory conduction studies of the median nerve; (2) external hand and wrist dimensions (hand ratio and wrist ratio); and (3) ultrasonographic dimensions of the carpal tunnel (carpal tunnel inlet ratio and carpal tunnel outlet ratio) and inlet cross-sectional area and outlet cross-sectional area of the median nerve at the tunnel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences between patients and controls were significant for hand and wrist ratios and all ultrasonographic dimensions. Sensory conduction velocity and distal motor latency of the median nerve in all 100 subjects were well correlated with hand ratio, wrist ratio, carpal tunnel inlet ratio, and carpal tunnel outlet ratio estimates. Wrist ratio was significantly correlated with carpal tunnel inlet ratio and carpal tunnel outlet ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A particular hand and wrist configuration, that is, short and wide hand with square wrist matching to narrow and deep tunnel entrance demonstrated increased liability for idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. For screening purposes, it was suggested that simple external hand or wrist measurements could be used to predict the tendency for carpal tunnel syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chiotis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dimisianos
authors.forename: Aspasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rigopoulou
authors.forename: Athina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chrysanthopoulou
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chroni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography