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Published on: January 11, 2019
Work Participation in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Referred to Departments of Occupational Medicine-A Danish
Tine Hoffmann Aagaard1, Karin Biering1,2, Jesper Medom Vestergaard1,3
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Research Clinic, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark.
Background:
We describe long-term work participation of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) referred to Danish departments of occupational medicine and compare to patients with contact dermatitis.
Methods:
One thousand seven hundred and sixty CTS-patients were included in this register-based nationwide longitudinal follow-up study and compared to 3158 contact dermatitis patients. We extracted register data on public benefits 5 years before and after assessment at a department of occupational medicine between 2000 and 2013. We defined a work participation score (WPS) as weeks where the patient was working divided by number of potential work weeks per year, dichotomized into low and high at the 75th percentile. We analyzed the risk of low WPS and of receiving permanent health-related public benefits during follow-up.
Results:
Before assessment, both CTS and contact dermatitis patients had high work participation. In the follow-up period work participation decreased permanently for both patient groups. Comparing women with CTS to women with contact dermatitis, odds ratios (OR) of low WPS were 2.56 (2.11-3.11) and 1.68 (1.38-2.05) one and 5 years after assessment. For men, OR of low WPS were 2.01 (95% CI, 1.67-2.44) and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.04-1.56). ORs of receiving permanent health-related public benefits during follow-up were 2.10 (95% CI, 1.56-2.83) for men and 1.97 (95% CI, 1.54-2.54) for women with CTS compared to those with contact dermatitis.
Conclusions:
Patients referred to Danish departments of occupational medicine due to CTS have increased risk of reduced long-term work participation and of receiving permanent health-related public benefits compared to patients referred due to contact dermatitis.
