The Effect of Carpal Tunnel Release on Neuropathic Pain in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Table 5
The relationship between the painDETECT scores at 12 weeks after surgery and clinical characteristics.
painDETECT (score) (number of hands)
Unlikely NP (≤12)
Possible NP (13–38)
Likely NP (≥19)
Sex (male, female) ( [%])
32 (36), 57 (64)
6 (50), 6 (50)
2 (25), 6 (75)
Age (mean ± SD)
69.9 ± 9.7
65.3 ± 7.1
67.9 ± 6.6
Disease duration, months (mean ± SD)
19.5 ± 26.4
25.1 ± 25.0
12.1 ± 19.5
The data before surgery
Distal latency, msec (mean ± SD)
9.9 ± 3.5
10.5 ± 3.6
11.5 ± 4.0
S-W test (mean ± SD)
4.5 ± 1.1
5.2 ± 1.3
4.7 ± 1.6
MMT of APB (mean ± SD)
3.6 ± 0.9
3.4 ± 0.8
3.1 ± 1.0
Tip pinch (thumb-index), Kgf (mean ± SD)
3.9 ± 1.7
3.2 ± 1.5
2.9 ± 1.9
Tip pinch (thumb-little), Kgf (mean ± SD)
1.1 ± 0.6
0.9 ± 0.5
0.8 ± 0.5
Grip power, Kg (mean ± SD)
19.0 ± 8.8
15.6 ± 6.9
18.1 ± 10.1
Pain score ( VAS)
At entry (mean ± SD)
25.5 ± 27.5
42.4 ± 29.3
37.5 ± 23.1
Most severe pain during 4 weeks (mean ± SD)
46.2 ± 36.3
68.1 ± 16.9
56.1 ± 28.1
Average pain during 4 weeks (mean ± SD)
51.6 ± 26.3
35.0 ± 29.7
Night pain (mean ± SD)
27.9 ± 31.8
39.1 ± 35.3
23.4 ± 33.1
Night pain (existence, nonexistence) ( [%])
47 (53), 42 (47)
8 (67), 4 (33)
3 (38), 5 (62)
DASH score (mean ± SD)
28.7 ± 20.9
27.6 ± 18.8
26.5 ± 18.1
The data at 12 weeks after surgery
Distal latency, msec (mean ± SD)
7.6 ± 4.0
7.0 ± 4.1
9.3 ± 3.9
S-W test (mean ± SD)
3.9 ± 1.0
4.0 ± 1.0
3.8 ± 1.3
MMT of APB (mean ± SD)
3.8 ± 0.7
3.8 ± 0.6
3.5 ± 0.5
Tip pinch (thumb-index), Kgf (mean ± SD)
2.7 ± 1.6
2.6 ± 1.6
Tip pinch (thumb-little), Kgf (mean ± SD)
0.8 ± 0.5
0.6 ± 0.2
0.5 ± 0.4
Grip power, Kg (mean ± SD)
17.0 ± 6.9
12.7 ± 4.4
14.1 ± 5.7
Pain score ( VAS)
At entry (mean ± SD)
41.3 ± 24.3
32.1 ± 22.1
Most severe pain during 4 weeks (mean ± SD)
63.2 ± 25.6
48.0 ± 18.7
Average pain during 4 weeks (mean ± SD)
41.9 ± 22.4
31.4 ± 20.2
Night pain (mean ± SD)
35.6 ± 36.1
28.6 ± 21.3
Night pain (existence, nonexistence) ( [%])
22 (25), 67
7 (58), 5 (42)
7 (88), 1 (12)
DASH score (mean ± SD)
22.2 ± 18.9
18.5 ± 16.4
25.7 ± 25.9
NP: neuropathic pain; SD: standard deviation; S-W test: Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments test; MMT: Manual Muscle Testing; APB: abductor pollicis brevis; VAS: visual analogue scale; DASH: Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand; significantly different to Possible NP ; significantly different to Possible NP ; significantly different to Likely NP ; significantly different to Likely NP ; calculated by test.
