Effectiveness of Current Perception Threshold in Follow up of the Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degree of change of current perception threshold (CPT) results with the degree of nerve conduction study (NCS) change and evaluate the effectiveness of the CPT in following up patients who went through operation for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHOD: Twenty hands with CTS were examined with CPT and NCS, before, 2 weeks after and 2 months after operation. In the CPT, the threshold of the median nerve was measured, in the NCS, amplitude and latency of the median nerve was measured. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the severity by NCS results and into 2 groups according to the subjective perception of improvement. RESULTS: The subjects mean age was 51.4. Changes of NCS results in amplitude and latency showed no statistical relevance. CPT study result changes demonstrated to be statistically significant. Improvement of CPT results seen in the period of 2 weeks and 2 months and the initial first 2 weeks showed no difference. Change of CPT results showed correlation not in accordance with the severity of the NCS study, but with the symptomatic improvement of the patients. CONCLUSION: CPT can be an effective tool in evaluating the improvement of symptoms and may be used as a follow up tool in patients with CTS.