The Importance of Age as a Factor of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome management

Kim, Ja-Young; Park, Hae-Yoon; Kang, Sung-Soo

Ann Clin Neurophysiol > 2001 ;3(1) > Article

Ann Clin Neurophysiol. 2001; 3(1): 15-20.

Ja-Young Kim, Hae-Yoon Park, and Sung-Soo Kang

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Background : Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy that refers to a group of signs and symptoms resulting from compression of the median nerve at the wrist. The course of CTS on older patients is different from the younger patients. This difference may be the result of different underlying mechanisms. The different nerve conduction studies of CTS may signify different approaches in management. This study was done to assess the differences in nerve conduction study of CTS I younger and older patients. Methods : This study involved 224 patients who visited Gachon Medical School, Gil Medical Center and was diagnosed by nerve conduction study from October 1997 to October 1999. We compared the results of nerve conduction study to age, especially in between those under 60 years and those 60 years or over CTS patients. Nerve conduction study consists of motor studies of both median nerve(terminal latency, compound action potential) and sensory studies(nerve conduction velocity, nerve action potential). And we also evaluated the variable between younger and older patients group. Those variables include sex, symptom period, laterality, abnormal physical findings and radiculopathy. Results : We found that a significant increase of terminal latency(p<0.1), but a decrease in compound motor action potential(p<0.05) in older patient's group. There was no significant differences in sensory nerve conduction velocity and action potential between those under 60 years and those 60 years or even patients. And also there was no significant difference in sex, symptom period, laterality, abnormal physical findings, radiculopathy between older and younger patients.
Conclusions: This study showed a significant increase in the terminal latency and a decrease I compound action potential in older patients. The different nerve conduction studies of CTS by age effect may need different approaches in management.

Key words: Capal tunnel syndrome, Age group, Nerve conduction velocity