Occupational Computer-Use Duration and Ulnar Nerve Electrodiagnostic Findings: An Exploratory Observational Study

Background: Musculoskeletal and peripheral nerve disorders have been reported among occupational computer users. However, the relationship between the duration of occupational computer use and ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) remains uncertain. This exploratory observational study investigated whether the duration of occupational computer use was associated with electrodiagnostically confirmed UNE and with ulnar nerve conduction parameters in a selected symptomatic population. Methods: Patients aged 23-68 years who were referred for nerve conduction studies (NCS) because of symptoms suggestive of upper-limb entrapment neuropathy were consecutively evaluated over a 1.5-year period. Among the 62 patients included, 22 met the neurophysiological diagnostic criteria for UNE, whereas 40 did not. The associations between occupational computer-use duration, bilateral ulnar sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes, across-elbow motor nerve conduction velocities (NCV), and the presence of ulnar neuropathy were assessed using univariable and multivariable analyses. Results: Longer occupational computer-use duration showed modest unadjusted associations with lower bilateral ulnar SNAP amplitudes but was not associated with across-elbow motor NCV. In multivariable analysis, age and sex were significant independent predictors of SNAP amplitude, whereas computer-use duration was not (B = -0.086, β = -0.048, p = 0.756). Exposure duration was also not independently associated with bilateral changes in across-elbow motor NCV or with electrodiagnostically confirmed UNE. Conclusions: The findings do not support an independent association between the number of years of occupational computer use and ulnar nerve electrodiagnostic abnormalities beyond the effects of age and sex. However, small associations cannot be excluded because of the limited sample size, the indirect assessment of biomechanical exposure, and the inclusion of a selected symptomatic referral population.