Risk factors for the development of carpal tunnel syndrome in women were studied by means of a nested case-control analysis of a prospective cohort study of the health effects of oral contraception in British women. A total of 1,264 women who had a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome reported by their general practitioner between 1968 and 1993 were compared with 1,264 age-matched control women who did not have this diagnosis. The syndrome was associated in older women with some hormonal factors, notably past use of oral contraception (adjusted odds ratio in women aged 40 years and over = 1.38, 95 percent confidence interval: 1.08, 1.76) and more generally with obesity (adjusted odds ratio = 1.68, 95 percent confidence interval: 1.29, 2.18). However, the strongest link was with a previous history of another musculoskeletal complaint for which consultation had been sought (adjusted odds ratio = 1.98, 95 percent confidence interval: 1.61, 2.42). Previous findings of a higher risk in women with diabetes and myxoedema were confirmed, but these contribute only a small proportion of all cases in women. There was no link with psychologic problems or nonmusculoskeletal pain complaints. The previously described increased incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in women may be partly due to hormonal factors, but is also related to an underlying propensity to musculoskeletal problems and their higher overall frequency in women.

/pdf/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-a-nested-case-control-study-of-risk-3z9x9u6epu.pdf

Carpal tunnel syndrome: a nested case-control study of risk factors in women.

Objectives.Parental and maternity leave policies are a popular fringe benefit among childbearing employed women and a benefit employers frequently are required to offer. However, few rigorous evaluations of the effect of maternal leave on maternal health exist.Methods.Using a hybrid of the household

https://www.jstor.org/stable/info/3766647

Time off work and the postpartum health of employed women

One thousand consecutive postpartum patients were interviewed by questionnaire to establish the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy. Hand symptoms had been noted by 34%: 25% had had symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, 2% symptoms of ulnar nerve compression and 7% ill defined hand symptoms. Maternal and fetal age, parity and weight change did not correlate with the presence of symptoms. The rate of ring removal because of swelling was twice as great for the symptomatic women (73%) as for the asymptomatic women (36%), and the rates of pre-eclampsia, hypertension and edema were higher for the women with symptoms. Three quarters of the women had bilateral symptoms, and half of the multigravidas had had similar symptoms in previous pregnancies. Hand function and sleep were disturbed in 75% of the symptomatic women, yet only 46% of all those with symptoms mentioned their symptoms to their doctors; treatment was given to only 16% (35% of those who complained), and relief was obtained by only half of these.

Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy.

The reported incidence of pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome (PRCTS) ranges from 08% to 70%, and little is known of its natural history We systematically reviewed the reported incidence of PRCTS and evaluated its natural history We identified 214 studies that fulfilled our selection criteria Six publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria Five fulfilled the incidence criteria, 3 fulfilled the natural history criteria, and 2 of the 6 publications satisfied both The reported incidence of neurophysiologically confirmed PRCTS ranged from 7% to 43%, whereas the incidence of clinically diagnosed PRCTS ranged from 31% to 62% Symptoms persisted in more than 50% of the patients after 1 year and in about 30% after 3 years Our review suggests that variations in the reported incidence of PRCTS largely depend on the methods used to detect this syndrome Our data also suggest that symptoms persist in a substantial number of patients 1 or more years after delivery

Systematic review of pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome

https://www.archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(98)90276-3/pdf

Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy: Frequency, severity, and prognosis

Occurrence of the carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy was studied by examining 100 consecutive obstetric admissions. Twenty-one patients reported paresthesias or hypesthesia in the median nerve sensory distribution of the hand during the pregnancy; eight of these had decreased sensation subjectively at the time of examination one to three days after delivery; two had trophic changes, loss of sudomotor function, thenar atrophy, and decreased two-point discrimination; and one had a delay in motor conduction time across the carpal tunnel. Of the 21 patients, 18 became asymptomatic before or shortly after delivery. The remaining three were asymptomatic three months after delivery. We conclude that the incidence of symptoms is probably greater than usually appreciated, but that few patients require treatment. Steroid injection may occassionally be necessary, but the need for surgical intervention is rare.

Wissinger Ha

Papers

Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy.