title: Association Between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Pooled Occupational Cohorts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to ascertain if cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors are carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of pooled baseline data from two large prospective cohort studies (n = 1824) assessed the relationships between a modified Framingham Heart Study CVD risk score both CTS and abnormal nerve conduction study prevalence. Quantified job exposures, personal and psychosocial confounders were statistically controlled. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for individual risk scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a strong relationship between CVD risk score and both CTS and abnormal nerve conduction study after adjustment for confounders, with odds ratios as high as 4.16 and 7.35, respectively. Dose responses were also observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this workplace population, there is a strong association between CVD risk scores and both CTS and abnormal nerve conduction study that persisted after controlling for confounders. These data suggest a potentially modifiable disease mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (Dr Hegmann, Dr Wood, Dr Thiese), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Center for Ergonomics (Dr Kapellusch, Dr Foster, Dr Garg), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Department of Mechanical Engineering (Dr Merryweather), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program (Dr Bao, Dr Silverstein), Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Olympia, Washington; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dr Kendall), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dr Wertsch), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Allina Health Clinics, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Kurt T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Hegmann
authors.forename: Matthew Steven
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Thiese
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kapellusch
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Merryweather
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wertsch
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Drury
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology