Benefits April 26, 2001

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Runs in the Family

April 26, 2001 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A study of 200 patients with suspected Carpal Tunnel Syndrome shows that the disorder tends to run in families.
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The study by the Essex Centre for Neurosciences in the United Kingdom was presented at a meeting of the European Neurological Society,

The diagnosis of the disorder was positive in 140, or 70%, of the patients, and of these:

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  • almost 40% had predisposing risk factors,
  • some 18% had a positive family history,
  • and  8% had both,
  • while 36% had neither risk factors nor a family history.

All in the Family

A family history of the repetitive motion disorder was confirmed by electrophysiological testing of relatives in 65% of cases.

In the confirmed cases with a positive family history:

  • 70% had first-degree relatives with the disease
  • 30% had second-degree relatives with the syndrome

Overall, the results show that 17% of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome have a family history of the condition that cannot be explained by familial diseases associated with the disorder such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, psoriasis or gout.

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