Incidence rates of in-hospital carpal tunnel syndrome in the general population and possible associations with marital status

2008

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Marital Status

Sample size: 86641 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Mattioli Stefano, Baldasseroni Alberto, Curti Stefania, Cooke Robin MT, Bena Antonella, de Giacomi Giovanna, dell'Omo Marco, Fateh-Moghadam Pirous, Melani Carla, Biocca Marco, Buiatti Eva, Campo Giuseppe, Zanardi Francesca, Violante Francesco S

Primary Institution: University of Bologna, Italy

Hypothesis

Is there an association between marital status and the incidence of in-hospital carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in the general population?

Conclusion

The study suggests that marital status may be associated with the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome, with married individuals showing higher rates than unmarried ones.

Supporting Evidence

The overall age-standardized incidence rate of in-hospital cases of CTS was 106.09 per 100,000 person-years.
Married women had a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 1.59 compared to unmarried women.
Married men had a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 1.42 compared to unmarried men.
Widowed individuals showed 2-3-fold higher incidence peaks during the fourth decade of life.

Takeaway

This study looked at how often people get carpal tunnel syndrome in hospitals and found that married people get it more than those who are single.

Methodology

The study analyzed hospital discharge records from seven regions in Italy over several years, focusing on in-hospital cases of CTS and comparing rates by marital status.