The effect of metabolic syndrome on recurrence in patients who had undergone surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate whether or not metabolic syndrome (MS) affects recurrence in patients who had undergone surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The study included 86 hands of 78 patients (19 males, 59 females; mean age 52.0±8.2 years; range 36 to 78 years) who underwent CTS surgery. Patients were examined clinically and demographically for the presence of MS. Patients were also evaluated using a visual analog scale and the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire. Diagnoses of recurrence were established using electromyography in patients with clinical CTS and Tinel and/or Phalen test positivity. The effect of MS on recurrent CTS was examined statistically by independent t-test. At the end of a mean follow-up period of 36.2±19.2 months (range 12 to 60 months), recurrence was identified in 31 (36%) of the 86 hands. Of these 31 hands, MS was present in 23 (74.2%). In the 55 hands (64%) without recurrence, MS was present in 10 (18.2%). According to these differences, the effect of MS on recurrent CTS was statistically significant (p<0.001). Our study indicated that MS affected recurrence in patients who had undergone CTS surgery.