Electrophysiological response to local steroid injection in carpal tunnel syndrome

الملخص EN

Background : Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy.

Local steroid injections are used for its treatment, which is usually associated with improvement in different electrophysiologic parameters of the median nerve.

However, evidence for its efficacy has not been established in our community.

Objective : the aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in electrophysiological parameters after local steroid injection for mild and moderate idiopathic CTS.

Material and methods : the study is a prospective clinical trial assessing the electrophysiological parameters following local steroid injection (Depomedrol-80 mg methylprednisolone acetate) in the treatment of mild and moderate idiopathic CTS.

The study was carried out in Mosul Teaching Hospitals during a period from December 2010 to December 2011.

The total number of patients was 54 (46 females and 8 males), their mean age was 36.13 ± 9.32 years.

Patients with idiopathic CTS were included after clinical confirmation of diagnosis electro-physiologically at preinjection, and electro physiological evaluation repeated 1 and 6 months after local steroid injection.

Results: All electrophysiological parameters showed significant improvement (P value is < 0.05) one month after injection except sensory nerve action potential.

All median nerve electrophysiological parameters in 6 months post injection showed no significant changes except, compound motor action potential, motor nerve conduction velocity, and sensory nerve action potential which showed significant deterioration (P value is < 0.05).

All electrophysiological parameters showed significant deterioration (P value is < 0.05) in comparing results of one month and 6 months after injection.

Conclusion: Local steroid injection for CTS provides transient improvement in electrophysiological parameters while causes deterioration in these parameters 6 months after injection.