Yonsei Med J.  2000 Feb;41(1):123-127. 10.3349/ymj.2000.41.1.123.

Asymptomatic electrophysiologic carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetics: entrapment or polyneuropathy

• Kim WK
• Kwon SH
• Lee SH
• Sunwoo IN

• KMID: 1060282
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2000.41.1.123

Abstract

Electrophysiologic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is common and is frequently asymptomatic in diabetics. In order to evaluate the clinical significance of asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS, the nerve conduction studies (NCS) of 48 diabetics with asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS were compared with those of 56 age and gender-matched controls, as well as 50 patients with symptomatic CTS without diabetes. Nerve conduction velocities of the ulnar, peroneal, and posterior tibial nerves were significantly slower in diabetics with asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS than in normal controls. Compared to symptomatic non-diabetic CTS, there was also significant slowing of the median and ulnar nerve conduction velocities in asymptomatic diabetic CTS. However, in diabetics with asymptomatic CTS, abnormalities of the distal segment of the median NCS were more prominent compared with those of all the other tested nerves. These findings suggested that asymptomatic electrophysiologic CTS in diabetics is a manifestation of increased vulnerability to the entrapment of the peripheral nerve.

Keyword

Carpal tunnel syndrome; diabetic polyneuropathy; nerve conduction study

MeSH Terms

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/physiopathology*
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/complications*
Diabetes Mellitus/complications*
Diabetic Neuropathies/physiopathology
Electrophysiology
Female
Human
Male
Middle Age
Nerve Compression Syndromes/physiopathology
Neural Conduction
Polyneuropathies/physiopathology
Reference Values