Abstract

Introduction: Risk factors associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include repetitive use of hand and wrist, advanced age, obesity, pregnancy, diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease. Decompression of the median nerve is the last treatment of choice usually indicated when negative results to conservative treatments remain for three months. In this study, we aimed to find out whether hypothyroid patients would respond to CTS surgical decompression differently in comparison to healthy individuals.

Methods: This case control study was conducted on patients with CTS in need of surgical release who were refered to Shahid Faghihi hospital, International Branch of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran from January 2013 to January 2015. 25 hypothyroid and 22 euthyroid patients were recruited. Hypothyroidism was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and serum TSH level. All patients were followed for 3 weeks after surgery and a Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) was completed for them pre and post operation. An electrophysiological study was performed during the same follow up period. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16.

Results: The CTS grade reported by electrophysiological study, decreased significantly 3 weeks after operation in comparison with preoperative grades (p<0.001). A significant decrease was observed in the immediate postoperative BCTQ scores compared to preoperative (p<0.001). Also a decrease was detected in the three weeks of postoperative follow up compared to immediate postoperative BCTQ scores (p<0.001) and preoperative BCTQ scores (p<0.001). Postoperative BCTQ scores of euthyroid patients decreased more in comparison to hypothyroid patients (p<0.001). 

Conclusion: It seems that, hypothyroidism has an effect on postoperative outcome of carpal tunnel release.

 

Keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Hypothyroidism, Boston carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire
 
» HTML Fulltext    » PDF Fulltext    » doi: 10.19082/2977
Adidas Arkyn BoostNIKE AIR MAX

The  most recent editorial (June 2021)

Ethics of Publishing Case Reports: Do We Need Ethics Approval and Patient Consent?

An editorial by Dr. Mehrdad Jalalian

Read more.


The worldwide spread of COVID-19 as an emerging, rapidly evolving situation, and the dramatic need of urgent medicine or vaccine, has rapidly brought new hypotheses for pathophysiology and potential medicinal agents to the fore. It is crucial that the research community provide a way to publish this research in a timely manner.

 

To contribute to this important public health discussion, the Electronic Physician Journal is excited to announce a fast-track procedure to help researchers publish their articles on COVID-19 related subjects that fall under the broad definition of public health, internal medicine, and pharmacology. We are especially welcome to all hypotheses about the pathological basis of the COVID-19 infection and the possible characteristics of potential medicine and vaccine. Submit your manuscript here

 


Our previous editorial (June 2020)

Lessons from COVID-19 pandemic and the Morocco’s success story.

An editorial by Dr. Benksim Abdelhafid (Morocco)

Read more.


 

The 6th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) is to be held on June 2-5, 2019 in Hong Kong.

The WCRI is the largest and most significant international conference on research integrity. Since the first conference in Lisbon in 2007, it has given researchers, teachers, funding agencies, government officials, journal editors, senior administrators, and research students opportunities to share experiences and to discuss and promote integrity in research. Read more:


 

TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowships

Call for applications

Deadline for submission: 7 March 2019, 16:00 (GMT)

TDR provides fellowships for early- to mid-career researchers and clinical trial staff (e.g. clinicians, pharmacists, medical statisticians, data managers, other health researchers) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to learn how to conduct clinical trials. Read more:


Meta-Analysis Workshops in New York, USA, and London, UK, in April and May 2019

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to learn how to perform and report a Meta-analysis correctly. Two Meta-analysis workshops are organized in April and May 2019 by Dr. Michael Borenstein in New York, USA (April 08-10, 2019) and London, UK (May 27-29).

About the Instructor

Dr. Michael Borenstein, one of the authors of Introduction to Meta-Analysis, is widely recognized for his ability to make statistical concepts accessible to researchers as well as to statisticians. He has lectured widely on meta-analysis, including at the NIH, CDC, and FDA. Read more: