Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Hypothyroidism.

INTRODUCTION: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is an entrapment neuropathy that occurs due to compression of median nerve in the carpal tunnel and hypothyroidism is one of the important causes of CTS.

AIM: To study clinical profile of carpal tunnel syndrome in patients with primary hypothyroidism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was cross-sectional study done in Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra. Adult patients with diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism were included in this study. Patients with other possible causes of CTS were excluded. Detailed medical history was obtained and all patients underwent clinical examination and nerve conduction study by electrophysiological method.

RESULTS: Total 36 adult patients were included in this study, 86.1% females and 13.9% males. CTS were found in 6 (16.7%) patients. Increased Body Mass Index (BMI) and presence of clinical symptoms and/or signs of CTS correlated independently with presence of CTS in hypothyroidism. (p-value- 0.03 and < 0.0001 respectively). No correlation was found between gender, age of the patient, duration of disease, serum TSH level, aetiology of the disease, thyroid hormone replacement therapy and occurrence of CTS in hypothyroidism.

CONCLUSION: Increase in BMI is an important risk factor for CTS in hypothyroidism and clinical evidence of CTS is a very sensitive parameter for the same.