A prospective study of carpal tunnel syndrome: workplace and individual risk factors

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Occup Environ Med
• Personal Author:
  Burt, Susan ; Deddens, James A ; Crombie, Ken ; Jin, Yan ; Wurzelbacher, Steve ; Ramsey, Jessica
• Description:
  Objectives
  
  To quantify the risk for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) from workplace physical factors, particularly hand activity level and forceful exertion, while taking into account individual factors including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and pre-existing medical conditions.
  
  Methods
  
  Three healthcare and manufacturing workplaces were selected for inclusion on the basis of range of exposure to hand activity level and forceful exertion represented by their jobs. Each study participants job tasks were observed and evaluated ’ onsite and videotaped for further analysis, including frequency and duration of exertion and postural deviation. Individual health assessment entailed electrodiagnostic testing of median and ulnar nerves, physical examination and questionnaires at baseline with annual follow-up for 2 years.
  
  Results
  
  The incidence of dominant hand CTS during the study was 5.11 per 100 person-years (29 cases). Adjusted HRs for dominant hand CTS were as follows: working with forceful exertion ≥20% but <60% of the time: 2.83 (1.18, 6.79) and ≥60% of the time vs <20%: 19.57 (5.96, 64.24), BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (obesity): 3.19 (1.28, 7.98). The American Conference for Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for hand activity level also predicted CTS, HR=1.40 (1.11, 1.78) for each unit increase in the TLV ratio, controlling for obesity and job strain.
  
  Conclusions
  
  Workplace and individual risk factors both contribute to the risk for CTS. Time spent in forceful exertion can be a greater risk for CTS than obesity if the job exposure is high. Preventive workplace efforts should target forceful exertions.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adult Aged Article Body Mass Index Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Female Functional Laterality Hand Health Personnel Humans Industry Male Middle Aged Muscle Contraction Obesity Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Occupations Physical Exertion Posture Proportional Hazards Models Prospective Studies Questionnaires Risk Factors Threshold Limit Values Ulnar Nerve Work Workplace Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  Occup Environ Med. 70(8):568-574.
• Pubmed ID:
  23788614
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4552318
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  DYT1/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  70
• Issue:
  8
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:c3da09e6a6103f591b2db8be8d3ccccf5a3d378a135f184b4c7c5913d205b424
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/33926/cdc_33926_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 511.63 KB ]