Social and Cognitive Factors in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a compressive peripheral neuropathy, characterized by pain, tingling sensation and paresthesia in the territory of the median nerve, symptoms modulated by psychosocial factors (eg, catastrophic thinking, depression, anxiety). The objective of the study is to determine those psychological and social components that influence the symptoms and function of patients with CTS. An observational cross-sectional design will be performed in patients with CTS. The patients will be selected consecutively in two hospitals of the South East Metropolitan Health Service (Santiago, Chile). The study variables will include: Perception of pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the extent of symptoms will be evaluated using the Katz diagram; Functional assessment using the abbreviated version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (QuickDASH); Catastrophic thinking as a response to pain using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), fear of movement using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), and emotional state was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Both are valid and reliable measures used to evaluate the influence of psychosocial factors in patients with CTS. Individual subject factors including duration of symptoms, type of work (desk / non-desk), BMI, age, gender, educational level and economic income will be collected through an interview process.