Prevalence, Awareness, and Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Among Diabetic Patients

Abdullah I Abuharb; Alwaleed I Almughira; Hatan K Alghamdi; Majdi Hashem; Ibrahim Bin Ahmed; Abdulmalik Aloriney

doi:10.7759/cureus.53683

Prevalence, Awareness, and Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Among Diabetic Patients

Cureus. 2024 Feb 6;16(2):e53683. doi: 10.7759/cureus.53683. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Authors

Abdullah I Abuharb¹, Alwaleed I Almughira¹, Hatan K Alghamdi¹, Majdi Hashem², Ibrahim Bin Ahmed³, Abdulmalik Aloriney⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.
² Surgery, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.
³ Family Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.
⁴ Family Medicine/Diabetes, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU.

Abstract

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition that can significantly affect the quality of life for individuals, particularly those with diabetes. This study aims to examine the severity of CTS symptoms among diabetic patients and explore the associations between demographic factors, diabetic characteristics, knowledge, and management approaches.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients, and data were collected using standardized questionnaires. The incidence and severity of CTS were assessed using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ). Demographic information, diabetic characteristics, knowledge of CTS, and management approaches were also recorded. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were performed to analyze the data.

Results: The study included 303 participants. The majority of the participants were aged 50 or older (44.9%) (N=136), followed by those aged 39-49 (24.4%) (N=74). In terms of gender, there were more female participants (61.4%) (N=186) than male participants (38.6%) (N=117). Older age groups exhibited higher mean BCTQ scores, suggesting increased severity. Females had significantly higher severity scores compared to males (mean BCTQ score of 17.52 vs 15.56). Regarding diabetic characteristics, complications in the eye and pain/numbness in the legs or feet were significantly associated with higher severity scores of CTS (P=0.0001). The study revealed a knowledge gap among diabetic patients about CTS, with inadequate knowledge about its causes, symptoms, consequences, and treatment options among 68.6% of the patients. The use of medical interventions such as splints, injections, and surgery was associated with higher severity scores.

Conclusion: This study highlights the incidence and severity of CTS symptoms among diabetic patients and its associations with demographic factors, diabetic characteristics, knowledge, and management approaches. Older age, female gender, widowed, diabetic complications in the eye, and pain/numbness in the legs or feet were found to be related to increased severity of CTS. Additionally, inadequate knowledge about CTS was observed among diabetic patients.

Keywords: awareness; carpal tunnel syndrome; diabetes; management; prevalence.