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Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Screening of Axonal Degeneration in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using Ultrasonography and Nerve Conduction Studies
Published on: January 11, 2019
Differences in characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome between male and female patients
Tatsunori Mitake1, Katsuyuki Iwatsuki1, Hitoshi Hirata1
1Department of Hand Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Background:
Sex difference is known to be a risk factor of carpal tunnel syndrome. However, sex differences with regard to the clinical presentation of carpal tunnel syndrome have not received much attention. Thus, this study aimed to detect any difference in the characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome between male and female and thereby add new insights into disease prevention.
Methods:
A total of 647 patients (male 193 hands and female 454 hands) with carpal tunnel syndrome who underwent endoscopic or open carpal tunnel release were retrospectively reviewed. The average age at time of surgery was 66 years. Clinical and electrophysiological data of all patients were collected. Six medical conditions, including trigger finger, diabetes mellitus, hemodialysis, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and obesity were also investigated.
Results:
A significant difference was found in the distribution of comorbidities between the male and female groups. Particularly, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hemodialysis, and hypertension were significantly higher in the male group than in the female group. Meanwhile, the presence of thenar muscle atrophy was significantly higher in the female group than in the male group.
Conclusions:
Women are more likely to experience carpal tunnel syndrome even though they have no comorbidities. We suggest that carpal tunnel syndrome especially in male patients may be reduced by early intervention for diabetes mellitus. Prospective studies are needed to validate the causal relationship between diabetes mellitus and carpal tunnel syndrome.
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