Objective: To determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome and its components in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Study design: Case-series.
Place and duration of study: Department of Neurology, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from January to June 2012.
Methodology: Seventy-five (64 females and 11 males) patients with clinically diagnosed and electrodiagnostically confirmed carpal tunnel syndrome were inducted. Their waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, fasting triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were recorded. Patients were categorized having metabolic syndrome according to Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, if any 3 were present out of hypertension, elevated fasting triglycerides, reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated fasting blood glucose, and elevated waist circumference.
Results: Mean age of the patients was 42.04 ±9.31 years, mean waist circumference was 95.32 ±9.03 cm, mean systolic blood pressure was 134.13 ±13.72 mmHg, mean diastolic blood pressure was 89.13 ±8.83 mmHg, mean fasting blood glucose was 94.35 ±21.81 mg/dl, mean fasting triglycerides was 177.48 ±48.69 mg/dl, and mean high density lipoprotein cholesterol was 41.95 ±11.17 mg/dl. Metabolic syndrome was found in 54 (72%) patients including 9 (16.7%) males and 45 (83.3%) females. Out of 75 patients, 54 (72%) had elevated waist circumference, 52 (69.3%) had elevated blood pressure, 19 (25.3%) had elevated fasting blood glucose, 53 (70.6%) had elevated fasting triglycerides and 54 (72%) had reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Highest frequency of metabolic syndrome was found in age range of 40 - 49 years in both genders.
Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is frequently found in the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.