Occupational Medicine Advance Access originally published online on January 21, 2008
Occupational Medicine 2008 58(3):212-214; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqm157
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Short Reports |
Carpal tunnel syndrome in the Turkish steel industry
nar Ce1
1 Izmir Teaching and Research Hospital, Bozyaka Izmir
2 Aliaga Local State Hospital, Aliaga Izmir
Aim Certain occupations are reported to be associated with a high risk for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In this study, we investigated the development of CTS in iron–steel industry workers.
Methods Subjects were recruited from a factory of 650 workers and assessed by means of history, physical examination and electrophysiological testing.
Results Seventy-nine subjects from the factory and 53 healthy controls with occupations unrelated to heavy physical work were assessed. None of the worker group had electrophysiological evidence of CTS. One subject in the control group has electrophysiological evidence of CTS. In the worker group, all sensory nerve conduction velocities and ulnar nerve action potential amplitudes in both hands and distal motor latencies were statistically different.
Conclusions In our study, among a group of heavy labourers, no cases of CTS were detected. However, all electrophysiologic parameters of workers were different from controls. Our results point to a diffuse, but subclinical injury of peripheral nerves under heavy physical work conditions, instead of a local effect such as CTS.
Keywords Carpal tunnel syndrome; occupational; steel industry workers
Correspondence to: Pinar Ce, 1420 sok N0=64/4 Kahramanlar/Izmir, Izmir 35230, Turkey. Tel: +902322505050/5241; fax: +902322614444; e-mail: kurceren{at}hotmail.com