Evaluation of Patients with Electrophysiologically More Advanced Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Their Nondominant Hands

INTRODUCTION: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) usually occurs bilaterally and in the dominant hand. This study aims to compare the patients with electrophysiologically more advanced CTS in their nondominant hand with patients with more advanced CTS in their dominant hand.
METHODS: The files of patients with a diagnosis of CTS, verified with electromyography (EMG), registered to EMG laboratory which is a third-level health institute, were scanned retrospectively between October 2021 and December 2021. Missing data were completed by contacting the patients on the phone. The patients included in the study were separated into two groups according to their electrophysiological findings the ones with more advanced CTS in the nondominant hand forming Group 1 and the ones with more advanced CTS in the dominant hand forming Group 2.
RESULTS: 124 CTS patients (105 female patients, Group 1 n=58 and Group 2 n=66 patients) were included in the study. The average ages of the patients were 50.7±12 (27–78) in Group 1 and 50.4±10.3 (22–69) in Group 2 (p=0.86). No differences were detected between Group 1 and Group 2 in terms of sex, occupation, smoking, body mass index, and CTS provocation test results. The disease duration was longer in Group 1 CTS patients than in Group 2 (p=0.037). CTS complaints were observed more in the dominant hand in Group 1 patients and were detected more bilaterally in Group 2 patients (p=0.001). Drug use frequency was detected as being higher in Group 1 CTS patients due to hyperlipidemia (p=0.039).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The reason of visiting a doctor to take longer despite the electrophysiologically more advanced CTS of the nondominant hand might be due to the fact that the complaints with the nondominant hand have a lesser effect in daily lives. Investigation of local reasons with more advanced electrophysiological CTS in the nondominant hand is extremely crucial and therefore, physicians should be vigilant to seek for local reasons. As a result of there is a need for more detailed studies of the local, regional, and systemic causes, with a larger number of patients.