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Carpal tunnel syndrome in Indian patients: use of modified questionnaires for assessment

From the Dr Paul Brand Centre for Hand Surgery and Leprosy Reconstructive Surgery (Inclusive of Peripheral Nerve Surgery), Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

Correspondence: Professor G. A. Anderson, Head: Dr Paul Brand Centre for Hand Surgery & Leprosy Reconstructive Surgery (Inclusive of Peripheral Nerve Surgery), Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore 632004, Tamil Nadu, India. Tel.: +91 416 228 2924 (Office) +91 416 226 3210 (Home); fax: +91 416 223 2035. E-mail:andersongeorge{at}hotmail.com.

This study was conducted to assess the use of a modified carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire (the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, BCTQ) in an Indian patient population. Seventy-six Indian patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were recruited to this prospective study. On a scale of one to five, the average score for the severity of symptoms was 2.09 (0.89). The average score for functional disability was 1.94 (0.74), which was lower than the average function score reported for Western CTS patients (Levine et al., 1993). The symptom severity and function disability scores were higher in patients with positive Tinel’s sign and Phalen’s test. The function disability score was moderately correlated with other clinical tests for CTS. The average modified BCTQ scores for Indian CTS patients was established through this study. This modified questionnaire might assist physicians in developing countries to assess disability from CTS, although socioeconomic and cultural differences will have to be taken into account when comparing assessments across different populations.

Key Words: carpal tunnel syndrome • modified Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire • developing world • India

This version was published on October 1, 2009

Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Vol. 34, No. 5, 671-678 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1753193409101469


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