The Prevalence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in an Urban Population

Journal of the Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand 2008;13(4):266-275.
Published online December 1, 2008.

Jae Won Lee, Jun Yeon Kim, Young Seup Hong, Sung Soo Kim, Woo Chul Kim, Hyung Jin Kim

일부 도시지역 주민의 수근관증후군 유병률 조사

이재원, 김준연, 홍영습, 김성수, 김우철, 김형진

Abstract

Purpose
Many people show interests in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) but the research has been limited to a subset of society. There is no research about the prevalence and possible causes of CTS for the general population except in the rural areas in Korea. The purpose of this study is to research the prevalence rate and risk factors for the general population in an urban area. Method: The prevalence and risk factors of CTS were examined through survey on 1,999 people who have visited health examination center at two general hospitals in Busan from May 2006 to August 2007 using the Final List of Clinical Diagnostic Criteria. Result: According to the diagnostic standard of Final List of Clinical Diagnostic Criteria, the prevalence of CTS was presented to be 0.75% (male 0.78%, female 0.72%). Subjective symptoms like pain and abnormal sensation in hand or wrist within a year, age over 50 years, height (male 170~179cm, female below 150 cm), diabetes, smoking, household wife as occupation and low academic background presented statistical significances as risk factors of CTS. Conclusion: The prevalence targeting the public is carried out for the first time in Korea for the study and foundation to establish diagnostic standard of CTS in Korea. Moreover, it will be of great help in preventing and treating the CTS grasping the nationwide prevalence of the syndrome.