Electrophysiological severity of carpal tunnel syndrome according to age in adult patients

Abstract

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) represents 90% of entrapment neuropathies. Severity may be greater in older patients. Aim: To describe the electrophysiological findings in adult patients with CTS and determine if severity is related to age. Material and methods: Descriptive and retrospective study of electrophysiological findings in patients over 18 years old with clinical suspicion of CTS, studied between January 2011 and December 2015. Neurophysiological severity was classified in 3 grades, comparing them by age, gender and laterality. Results: Of 1156 patients subjected to electrophysiological studies due to a clinical suspicion of CTS, in 690 (60%) there were electrophysiological features of the disease. In 274 patients (24%) the compromise was mild, in 162 (14%) it was moderate and in 254 (22%) it was severe. There was a positive association between age and CTS severity (p<0.01). Severity was significantly greater in males than females (p<0.01). Bilateral CTS was present in 471 patients (68%), which was associated with increased age and severity (p<0.01). Conclusions: Electrophysiological severity in CTS increases with age. Other factors associated with higher severity are male gender and bilateral disease.