Principais profissões de saúde e fatores predisponentes da sí­ndrome do túnel do carpo: revisão da literatura. / Main health professions and factors related to professional activity developers of the carpal tunnel syndrome: a literature review.

OBJETIVO: identificar os principais profissionais da área de saúde suscetíveis ao desencadeamento da Sindrome do Túnel do Carpo (STC), bem como os fatores de risco associados com a atividade profissional. MÉTODO: revisão de literatura baseada em estudos de coorte e/ou de incidência, transversal e/ou prevalência da STC nos profissionais de saúde. Foram utilizados artigos do ano de 1997 a 2012, como fontes primárias da pesquisa. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: os resultados encontrados mostraram que dentistas e enfermeiros são os profissionais de saúde mais suscetíveis à doença, sendo obtida uma prevalência estimada na ordem de 25% a 75,6% nessas categorias. É necessária a realização de mais estudos específicos sobre a STC voltados a essas categorias profissionais, com a adoção de programas preventivos, a fim de minimizar os fatores de risco ocupacionais influenciadores no desempenho profissional e na qualidade de vida.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common neuropathy of the wrist and hand occurs due to compression of the median nerve within the inelastic retinaculum of the flexors muscles. The discussion about the disease has been increas-ing more and more, since occurs in several health professionals such as dentists, physiotherapists, nurses, doctors, and others, leading to radical changes in lifestyle. It is the main cause of the lost hours of working professionals in manually performing repetitive tasks or subjected to continuous vibration, causing numerous professional complications, causing the permanent absence of the work. Thus, this study reveals the need for an approach to the problem, aimed to identify the main health professionals susceptible to the development of this syndrome as well as the risk factors associated with the occupation. The methodology consists of a literature review based on cohort studies and / or incidence, cross-sectional and / or prevalence of CTS in healthcare professionals. Articles of year 1997 to 2012 were used as primary sources of search. The results showed that dentists and nurses are the professionals most susceptible to the CTS, so that estimated prevalence was in the range of 25% to 75.6% in these categories. Researches about the STC focused on these professional categories, with the adoption of preventive programs in order to minimize occupational risk factors influencers are needed to improve professional performance and quality of life