Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Runs in the Family
The study by the Essex Centre for Neurosciences in the United Kingdom was presented at a meeting of the European Neurological Society,
The diagnosis of the disorder was positive in 140, or 70%, of the patients, and of these:
- almost 40% had predisposing risk factors,
- some 18% had a positive family history,
- and 8% had both,
- while 36% had neither risk factors nor a family history.
All in the Family
A family history of the repetitive motion disorder was confirmed by electrophysiological testing of relatives in 65% of cases.
In the confirmed cases with a positive family history:
- 70% had first-degree relatives with the disease
- 30% had second-degree relatives with the syndrome
Overall, the results show that 17% of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome have a family history of the condition that cannot be explained by familial diseases associated with the disorder such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, psoriasis or gout.