Arthritis as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome: a meta-analysis

The effects of inflammatory and degenerative arthritis on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are not well known. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) increase the risk of CTS.

Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate until January 2015. Twenty-three (five cohort, 10 case control, and eight cross sectional) studies qualified for the meta-analyses. A random-effects meta-analysis was used and heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed.

Both RA and OA were associated with CTS. Pooled unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 1.91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-2.75, I(2) = 55.2%, nine studies, n = 10 688] for arthritis (either inflammatory or degenerative), 2.91 (95% CI 2.33-3.62, I(2) = 22.3%, 11 studies, n = 74 730) for RA, and 2.13 (95% CI 1.65-2.76, I(2) = 39.2%, five studies, n = 20 574) for OA of any joint. Pooled confounder-adjusted ORs were 1.96 (95% CI 1.21-3.18, I(2) = 73.1%, six studies, n = 11 542) for arthritis, 1.96 (95% CI 1.57-2.44, I(2) = 32.2%, eight studies, n = 72 212) for RA, and 1.87 (95% CI 1.64-2.13, I(2) = 0%, two studies, n = 19 480) for OA. There was no evidence of publication bias, and excluding cross-sectional studies or studies appraised as having a high risk of selection bias did not change the magnitude of the associations.

The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that both RA and OA increase the risk of CTS. Further prospective studies on the effect of wrist OA on CTS are needed.