Demographics of Common Compressive Neuropathies in the Upper Extremity

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Orthopedics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Peripheral nerve compressions are common in the upper extremity.
• Key conditions include carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), ulnar nerve compression (UNC), radial tunnel syndrome (RTS), and posterior interosseous nerve syndrome (PINS).
• Understanding demographic variations may elucidate underlying etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare demographic differences across common upper extremity peripheral nerve compressions.
• To investigate potential links between patient characteristics and specific nerve compression syndromes.
• To inform the understanding of the etiologies of these neuropathies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of patients over 18 years old from 2018.
• Utilized ICD-10 codes to identify patients with upper extremity nerve compressions.
• Compared demographic details and comorbidities against controls using statistical analyses (χ², t-tests, logistic regression).

Main Results:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) predominantly affected women, former smokers, and diabetics with higher BMI.
• Ulnar nerve compression (UNC) was more common in younger men; smoking, diabetes, and BMI were similar to controls.
• Combined CTS/UNC primarily affected men, former smokers, and diabetics.
• Radial tunnel syndrome (RTS)/Posterior interosseous nerve syndrome (PINS) predominantly affected men, diabetics, and current smokers.

Conclusions:

• Demographic profiles for different compressive neuropathies are not uniform.
• These distinct demographic patterns suggest heterogeneous etiologies for each condition.
• Further research into specific risk factors is warranted.