Correlation of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome among Job Categories

• Main Authors: LIANG WEN LUNG, 梁文隆
• Other Authors: 賴永昌
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/eqyx57

碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 職業安全衛生研究所 === 91 === The reported incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has increased remarkably in recent years, especially related to occupational factors. The CTS illness has affected not only one’s personal life quality but also one’s job performance as well. The methodologies of diagnosis, the high-risk occupations and the associated risk factors of the CTS have been published elsewhere. In this study, we would focus on the co-relationship of the CTS patient profiles with their occupational distribution associated with ages, gender, diagnostic departments and sensitivity of diagnostic methods, etc., to better understand the CTS epidemiological conditions in Taiwan. In this retrospective study, we have conducted 1,114 CTS-patients screening based on their recorded medical histories obtained from a major medical center located in southern Taiwan. There are total of 563 women and 215 men, about 2.6 to 1 ratio, qualified and selected in our study, with a time frame from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002. As results, we have found the CTS patients had an average age of 50.6 (±12.0) years, with the highest proportion being in the 51-60 age groups. Over half of the CTS patients had affected both of hands (51.5%). The CTS patients of 403 cases (51.8%) were diagnosed mostly by neurologists and next by orthopedic specialists (15.2%). By following up 778 patients, we only could track down 309 patients with occupational data available. The highest ratio of the job-related CTS patients was in the 9th job category group (27.2%), followed by the 8th group (8.4%). We also found that housewives had relative high incidence rate of 24.3% among affected patient cases. The CTS studies in Taiwan are quite limited, especially based on job categories. Our study has provided a valuable database for the CTS patient profile with higher risk occupations and also the risk factors that can be used in future research.