Affiliations: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA | Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Department of
Occupational Health and Safety, Tehran, Iran
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Richard Sesek, University of Utah,
Mechanical Engineering, 50 S Central Campus Dr Rm 2110, Salt Lake City, UT
84112-9208, USA. Tel.: +1 801 581 4160; Fax: +1 801 585 5261; E-mail:
R.Sesek@utah.edu
Abstract: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a debilitating and expensive health
problem. An inexpensive screening method that would differentiate between
people who do not have CTS and those that may have CTS would be useful. The
screening methodology investigated here had two phases: a structured interview
and provocative vibrotactile testing (VT). The control group
(n = 36) was composed of asymptomatic college students and
faculty, the case group was composed of patients currently visiting an
occupational medicine clinic for symptoms consistent with CTS. The case group
was subdivided into positive and negative for nerve conduction latency,
NCL+ (n = 21) and NCL−
(n = 13), respectively. Using a scored, structured interview,
33 of the controls and none of the symptomatic cases were identified as
non-CTS. The results from the provocative flexion VT indicated that if the
difference between the age corrected baseline and the threshold at 15 minutes
is 15 μm or more, the subject was likely to be
NCL+ (odds ratio 12.6, 95% CI 3.8 to 41.8). Further
research may improve this screening methodology to not only determine whether
or not a person has CTS, but also to determine the level of median nerve
impingement or damage.
