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Autonomic dysfunction in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome
Author(s) -
Verghese Joe,
Galanopoulou Aristea S.,
Herskovitz Steven
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4598(200008)23:8<1209::aid-mus8>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - carpal tunnel syndrome , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , electromyography , physical therapy , surgery
While the sensorimotor features of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are well known, a prospective, systematic study of autonomic disturbances in CTS is lacking. Of 139 limbs with CTS (76 patients), autonomic symptoms were reported in 76 (47 patients). Of these, 59% consisted of swelling of the fingers, 39% dry palms, 33% Raynaud's phenomenon, and 32% blanching of the hand. Sympathetic skin response (SSR) had a sensitivity/specificity ratio of 34/89% in CTS with autonomic symptoms. The presence of autonomic disturbances was significantly associated with female gender (odds ratio 4.06, 95% CI 1.5–11.4, P = 0.007), SSR abnormalities (odds ratio 4.3, 95% CI 1.6–11.4, P = 0.003), and severity of electromyographic findings (odds ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1–3.3, P = 0.04) but not age, duration of disease, or clinical severity in a binary logistic regression model. Autonomic disturbances are common (55%) in CTS, occurring with increasing severity of electrophysiologic findings. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 23: 1209–1213, 2000