Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests

Abstract Background The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is established mainly on a clinical basis, and diagnosis is done after careful history taking and examination including known provocative tests with varying efficacy and reliability. Methods A prospective clinical study of 123 patient...

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Main Authors: Ahmed A. Arab, Mohamed M. Elmaghrabi, Mohamed H. Eltantawy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2018-08-01
Series:Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41984-018-0014-7
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author Ahmed A. Arab
Mohamed M. Elmaghrabi
Mohamed H. Eltantawy
author_facet Ahmed A. Arab
Mohamed M. Elmaghrabi
Mohamed H. Eltantawy
author_sort Ahmed A. Arab
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is established mainly on a clinical basis, and diagnosis is done after careful history taking and examination including known provocative tests with varying efficacy and reliability. Methods A prospective clinical study of 123 patients with 171 hands presenting with classical symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome were included in this study, from October 2013 to October 2015, and they underwent open surgical release of flexor retinaculum at the Neurosurgery Department of Benha University Hospital. Results ART is positive in 88.3%. This is compared to 75, 81.3, 79.7, and 83.6% of positive results in Tinel’s test, compression test, Phalen’s test, and combined Phalen’s and compression test. ART is the most sensitive and specific test and has the highest positive predictive value of 98.3%, negative predictive value of 81.9%, and accuracy of 91.4%. Conclusion ART is a simple, reliable, and easily performed test for evaluating carpal tunnel syndrome; it is superior to other tests and could be used also to assess improvement after surgery.
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spelling doaj.art-a5f345a287fc43318cda863db49936f32022-12-22T00:47:57ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Journal of Neurosurgery2520-82252018-08-013311410.1186/s41984-018-0014-7Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical testsAhmed A. Arab0Mohamed M. Elmaghrabi1Mohamed H. Eltantawy2Department of Neurosurgery, Benha UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, Benha UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, Benha UniversityAbstract Background The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is established mainly on a clinical basis, and diagnosis is done after careful history taking and examination including known provocative tests with varying efficacy and reliability. Methods A prospective clinical study of 123 patients with 171 hands presenting with classical symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome were included in this study, from October 2013 to October 2015, and they underwent open surgical release of flexor retinaculum at the Neurosurgery Department of Benha University Hospital. Results ART is positive in 88.3%. This is compared to 75, 81.3, 79.7, and 83.6% of positive results in Tinel’s test, compression test, Phalen’s test, and combined Phalen’s and compression test. ART is the most sensitive and specific test and has the highest positive predictive value of 98.3%, negative predictive value of 81.9%, and accuracy of 91.4%. Conclusion ART is a simple, reliable, and easily performed test for evaluating carpal tunnel syndrome; it is superior to other tests and could be used also to assess improvement after surgery.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41984-018-0014-7Carpal tunnel syndromeArm raising testProvocative tests
spellingShingle Ahmed A. Arab
Mohamed M. Elmaghrabi
Mohamed H. Eltantawy
Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Arm raising test
Provocative tests
title Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
title_full Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
title_fullStr Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
title_full_unstemmed Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
title_short Carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
title_sort carpal tunnel syndrome evaluation of its provocative clinical tests
topic Carpal tunnel syndrome
Arm raising test
Provocative tests
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41984-018-0014-7
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AT mohamedmelmaghrabi carpaltunnelsyndromeevaluationofitsprovocativeclinicaltests
AT mohamedheltantawy carpaltunnelsyndromeevaluationofitsprovocativeclinicaltests