P73-T Electrophysiological investigation of change in central sensory pathways in carpal tunnel syndrome

Abstract

Summary Objective: In our study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the change in central sensory pathways and fine motor skills by examining patients with CTS. Methods A total of 37 patients with isolated CTS, 27 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and CTS, 21 patients with DM without CTS and 15 healthy controls were included in the study. None of them had polyneuropathy. Routine electrophysiological examination, sensory threshold (ST), somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT), nine-hole peg test (NHPT) were performed. Dropping objects from hand was questioned. Results The rate of dropping objects showed a trend to be higher in patients with CTS, with or without DM. In all participants who dropped objects, the duration of NHPT was found significantly higher. In CTS group with or without DM, second finger (2f) ST and STDT were higher than healthy individuals and cases with DM, the durations of NHPT was correlated with only 2f ST in all participants who dropped objects whereas there was no correlation with 2f STDT. When the isolated CTS and DM-diagnosed CTS groups were compared, only NHPT placement and total completion durations were longer in DM-diagnosed CTS and the other results were similar. Conclusions Similar to the literature, we showed that there was a maladaptive reorganization process in primary somatosensory cortex (S1), which was evaluated with 2f STDT in all of patient with CTS. But in our results, there is no relationship between the maladaptive reorganization process in S1 and impaired fine motor skills.