Assessment of Small Sensory Fibers in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using Quantitative Sensory Testing

• Author / Creator

  Mackie, Mahsa

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy in humans. The gold standard for diagnosing CTS is considered to be nerve conduction studies (NCS). However, there are patients who complain of a lot of symptoms with minimal findings in NCS. One of the reasons for this discrepancy is that the NCS just assess the large myelinated fibers. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the small sensory fibers in different stages of CTS. 58 CTS subjects and 44 healthy control subjects were recruited. The thermal and heat pain thresholds were assessed in the CTS and control groups, by the quantitative sensory testing (QST) using the CASE IV machine. Cold and warm threshold was increased in all three stages of CTS. Heat pain threshold was increase in severe CTS patients. We concluded that small sensory fibers are affected in early stages of CTS.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Small Sensory Fibers, Quantitative Sensory Testing, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Graduation date

  Spring 2012

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3PQ8B

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.