Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to identify prognostic factors for severity of symptoms and disability among patients with ulnar neuropathy confirmed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) or ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms with normal ulnar nerve NCS. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study based on a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
2013-09-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
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| Online Access: |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3352
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| author | Susanne Wulff Svendsen Birger Johnsen Anders Fuglsang-Frederiksen Poul Frost |
| author_facet | Susanne Wulff Svendsen Birger Johnsen Anders Fuglsang-Frederiksen Poul Frost |
| author_sort | Susanne Wulff Svendsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to identify prognostic factors for severity of symptoms and disability among patients with ulnar neuropathy confirmed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) or ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms with normal ulnar nerve NCS. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study based on a matched case-referent study. In 2008, we mailed a questionnaire to 1179 patients who were examined by NCS for suspected ulnar neuropathy at the age of ≥18–<65 years, 2001–2007. Potential prognostic factors included occupational biomechanical exposures, lifestyle factors, and NCS result. Outcomes were severity of symptoms and disability according to questionnaire scores. Referents delivered reference values. We used ordinal logistic regression. RESULTS: The percentage of those responding was 61%, comprising 324 patients with ulnar neuropathy and 396 with ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms. At follow-up, both patient groups had more severe symptoms and disability than age and sex matched referents. Abnormal NCS indicated a poorer prognosis regarding symptom severity [odds ratio (OR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01–2.01], but not disability (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.57–1.08). High occupational force requirements indicated a poorer prognosis regarding both symptom severity (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10–2.88) and disability (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06–2.59). Other negative prognostic factors for both outcomes were current smoking, obesity, distal upper-extremity fractures, female sex, and a recent NCS date (suggesting improvement over time). CONCLUSIONS: NCS confirmation of ulnar neuropathy identified patients with a poorer prognosis regarding symptoms. A negative impact of high occupational force requirements, current smoking, and obesity on both outcomes suggested that reduction of these factors might improve prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8b35b24d2bdd49c39cb84075709cb2fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0355-3140 1795-990X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T07:36:08Z |
| publishDate | 2013-09-01 |
| publisher | Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8b35b24d2bdd49c39cb84075709cb2fc2022-12-21T21:58:19ZengNordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health0355-31401795-990X2013-09-0139550651410.5271/sjweh.33523352Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyleSusanne Wulff Svendsen0Birger JohnsenAnders Fuglsang-FrederiksenPoul FrostDanish Ramazzini Centre, University Department of Occupational Medicine, Herning Regional Hospital, Gl. Landevej 61, DK-7400 Herning, Denmark.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to identify prognostic factors for severity of symptoms and disability among patients with ulnar neuropathy confirmed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) or ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms with normal ulnar nerve NCS. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study based on a matched case-referent study. In 2008, we mailed a questionnaire to 1179 patients who were examined by NCS for suspected ulnar neuropathy at the age of ≥18–<65 years, 2001–2007. Potential prognostic factors included occupational biomechanical exposures, lifestyle factors, and NCS result. Outcomes were severity of symptoms and disability according to questionnaire scores. Referents delivered reference values. We used ordinal logistic regression. RESULTS: The percentage of those responding was 61%, comprising 324 patients with ulnar neuropathy and 396 with ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms. At follow-up, both patient groups had more severe symptoms and disability than age and sex matched referents. Abnormal NCS indicated a poorer prognosis regarding symptom severity [odds ratio (OR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01–2.01], but not disability (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.57–1.08). High occupational force requirements indicated a poorer prognosis regarding both symptom severity (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10–2.88) and disability (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06–2.59). Other negative prognostic factors for both outcomes were current smoking, obesity, distal upper-extremity fractures, female sex, and a recent NCS date (suggesting improvement over time). CONCLUSIONS: NCS confirmation of ulnar neuropathy identified patients with a poorer prognosis regarding symptoms. A negative impact of high occupational force requirements, current smoking, and obesity on both outcomes suggested that reduction of these factors might improve prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms. https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3352 prediction modelepidemiologymusculoskeletal disorderrepetitive worksmokingforceprognosisposturebody mass indexupper extremityjob exposure matrixlifestyleprognostic factorbiomechanical exposurenerve conduction studyulnar neuropathyulnar neuropathy-like symptom |
| spellingShingle | Susanne Wulff Svendsen Birger Johnsen Anders Fuglsang-Frederiksen Poul Frost Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health prediction model epidemiology musculoskeletal disorder repetitive work smoking force prognosis posture body mass index upper extremity job exposure matrix lifestyle prognostic factor biomechanical exposure nerve conduction study ulnar neuropathy ulnar neuropathy-like symptom |
| title | Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle |
| title_full | Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle |
| title_fullStr | Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle |
| title_short | Prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle |
| title_sort | prognosis of ulnar neuropathy and ulnar neuropathy like symptoms in relation to occupational biomechanical exposures and lifestyle |
| topic | prediction model epidemiology musculoskeletal disorder repetitive work smoking force prognosis posture body mass index upper extremity job exposure matrix lifestyle prognostic factor biomechanical exposure nerve conduction study ulnar neuropathy ulnar neuropathy-like symptom |
| url |
https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3352
|
| work_keys_str_mv | AT susannewulffsvendsen prognosisofulnarneuropathyandulnarneuropathylikesymptomsinrelationtooccupationalbiomechanicalexposuresandlifestyle AT birgerjohnsen prognosisofulnarneuropathyandulnarneuropathylikesymptomsinrelationtooccupationalbiomechanicalexposuresandlifestyle AT andersfuglsangfrederiksen prognosisofulnarneuropathyandulnarneuropathylikesymptomsinrelationtooccupationalbiomechanicalexposuresandlifestyle AT poulfrost prognosisofulnarneuropathyandulnarneuropathylikesymptomsinrelationtooccupationalbiomechanicalexposuresandlifestyle |