No abstract

Objectives: Obesity is defined as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In this study, the presence or absence of recovery in median nerve conduction velocities after weight loss in obese patients was assessed in order to determine whether excess weight or other factors influence the higher prevalence of CTS in obese patients. Methods: Patients with body mass indexes (BMIs) ≧30 were included in the study. CTS symptoms, age, gender, height, body weight, and concomitant diseases were evaluated. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) were obtained on one upper extremity. All patients were included in dietetic programs. Three months later, NCS were repeated and compared with the first NCS. Results: BMIs were statistically significantly lower on the second visits 3 months later (p = 0.0001). No statistically significant difference was observed in the second NCS of electromyographically diagnosed cases with CTS (p > 0.05). Conclusion: We expected a recovery in median nerve conduction velocities in patients with CTS after weight loss. In the literature, even in untreated cases with CTS, spontaneous improvements in second NCS have been reported. This finding suggests that factors other than excess body weight may be influential in the higher prevalence of CTS in obese patients. A more detailed, genetic-factor-targeted investigation may prove more beneficial to clarify this issue.

No abstract

EMG or US could be used as the first-step test in most cases. If they are both available, EMG should be the first choice. They may be performed together when diagnosis is challenging. CT may especially be preferred for bone-related pathological conditions, whereas MRI may be preferred for soft tissue-related pathological conditions. Even though imaging studies have been proven to be powerful diagnostic tools for CTS, no conclusive information currently exists to support replacing EMG with imaging studies.

No abstract