Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation of Manual Physical Therapy Versus Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Evidence From a Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) results in substantial societal costs and can be treated either by nonsurgical or surgical approaches. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in cost-effectiveness of manual physical therapy versus surgery in women with CTS. METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 120 women with a clinical and an electromyographic diagnosis of CTS were randomized through concealed allocation to either manual physical therapy or surgery. Interventions consisted of 3 sessions of manual physical therapy, including desensitization maneuvers of the central nervous system, or decompression/release of the carpal tunnel. Societal costs and health-related quality of life (estimated by the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions [EQ-5D] scale) over 1 year were used to generate incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year ratios for each treatment. RESULTS: The analysis was possible for 118 patients (98%). Incremental quality-adjusted life years showed greater cost-effectiveness in favor of manual physical therapy (difference, 0.135; 95% confidence interval: 0.134, 0.136). Manual therapy was significantly less costly than surgery (mean difference in cost per patient, €2576; P<.001). Patients in the surgical group received a greater number of other treatments and made more visits to medical doctors than those receiving manual physical therapy (P = .02). Absenteeism from paid work was significantly higher in the surgery group (P<.001). The major contributors to societal costs were the treatment protocol (surgery versus manual therapy mean difference, €106 980) and absenteeism from paid work (surgery versus manual physical therapy mean difference, €42 224). CONCLUSION: Manual physical therapy, including desensitization maneuvers of the central nervous system, has been found to be equally effective but less costly (ie, more cost-effective) than surgery for women with CTS. From a cost-benefit perspective, the proposed CTS manual physical therapy intervention can be considered. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic and decision analyses, level 1b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019;49(2):55-63. Epub 30 Nov 2018. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.8483.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism is associated with pain and disability, but not widespread pressure pain sensitivity, in women with carpal Tunnel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The genetic influence of Val158Met polymorphisms, one of the potential genetic determinants for nociceptive processing, has not been previously investigated in women with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between the Val158Met polymorphism with CTS and to assess the relationship between the Val158Met polymorphism and the clinical outcomes and widespread pressure pain hypersensitivity in women with CTS. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: Neurology department at an urban hospital. METHOD: One hundred nine (n = 109) women (mean age: 47 ± 9 years) with a clinical and electrodiagnostic diagnosis of CTS and 109 matched healthy women participated. After amplifying the Val158Met polymorphism by polymerase chain reactions, rs4680 genotype frequencies and allele distributions were calculated. We classified individuals according to their Val158Met polymorphism: Val/Val, Val/Met, Met/Met. The intensity of the pain was assessed with a numeric rating scale (0-10) and disability was determined with the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. Pressure pain thresholds were bilaterally assessed over median, radial, and ulnar nerve trunks; C5-C6 facet joints; and carpal tunnel and tibialis anterior muscles.Institutional Review Board: The study project was approved by the local human research committee (HUFA-12/14). All participants signed an informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. RESULTS: The distribution of the 3 Val158Met genotypes (Val/Val, Val/Met, Met/Met) and alleles was not significantly different between women with CTS and healthy women (Chi-Square = 0.498; P = 0.780). Women with CTS carrying the Met/Met genotype showed higher levels of pain and disability than those with the Val/Met genotype (P < 0.01) and with the Val/Val genotype (P < 0.001). No differences in the years with pain (P = 0.954), age (P = 0.740), depression (P = 0.530), severity of CTS (P = 0.744) or presence of unilateral-bilateral symptoms (P = 0.279) existed depending on the rs4680 Val158Met genotype. No significant differences in widespread pressure pain sensitivity were observed in any of the points depending on the rs4680 Val158Met genotype (P > 0.315). LIMITATIONS: We only recruited women from a specialized department. CONCLUSION: Current results indicated that the Val158Met polymorphism seems not to be a risk factor for the development of CTS; however, it was associated with increased perception of pain and higher disability scores.