Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) emerges due to compression of the median nerve when passing through the wrist at carpal tunnel. It is usually found in people whose works require repetitive hand and risk movements. In addition to occupational factors, obesity, female sex, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases, previous history of CTS or hand operation and other non-occupational factors may also lead to CTS. The main purpose of this study is to explore and discuss the non-occupational risk factors of CTS in women.
Methods: The study recruited women who received neuroelectric examination of their upper limbs due to numbness or weakness during a period of 3 months. A questionnaire was designed and used to collect the participants’ basic information, work type, past medical history, and menopausal status. CTS was diagnosed with a distal motor latency of median nerve exceeding 4.2 millisecond. Categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test, and logistic regression model was adopted to calculate the odds ratio (OR). All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 17.0.
Results: Of the 160 effective questionnaires collected, 60 were from premenopausal participants and 100 were from postmenopausal ones. CTS was diagnosed in 45.6% of the participants. Statistical analyses revealed that, among all patients recruited, diabetes mellitus, high-risk work type, previous history of CTS and menopause had an odds ratio over 2 with diabetes mellitus and high-risk work style reaching statistical significance. In premenopausal participants, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune disease, previous history of CTS had an odds ratio over 2 with statistical significance observed in diabetes mellitus and high-risk work style. In postmenopausal participants, diabetes mellitus and high-risk work style had an odds ratio over 2, and high-risk work style reached statistical significance.
Conclusion: As indicated by the findings of the study, female workers undergoing neuroelectric examination of their upper limbs due to associated symptoms, diabetes mellitus and high-risk work type significantly increase the risk of CTS. Diabetes mellitus in premenopausal women and highrisk work type style in postmenopausal women appear to be statistically significant risk factors of CTS.