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Point-of-Care Guides

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Christopher A. Alvarez, MD,
Steven R. Brown, MD, FAAFP,
University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona

American Family Physician. 2024;109(6):571-572.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial relationships.

This clinical content conforms to AAFP criteria for CME.

Address correspondence to Steven R. Brown, MD, FAAFP, at steven.brown@bannerhealth.com. Reprints are not available from the authors.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial relationships.

  1. 1.D'Arcy CA, McGee S. The rational clinical examination. Does this patient have carpal tunnel syndrome [published correction appears in JAMA. 2000; 284(11): 1384]?. JAMA. 2000;283(23):3110-3117.
  2. 2.Dabbagh A, MacDermid JC, Yong J, et al. Diagnostic test accuracy of provocative maneuvers for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Phys Ther. 2023;103(6):pzad029.
  3. 3.Graham B, Peljovich AE, Afra R, et al. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons evidence-based clinical practice guideline on: management of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2016;98(20):1750-1754.
  4. 4.Claes F, Bernsen H, Meulstee J, et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed by general practitioners: an observational study. Neurol Sci. 2012;33(5):1079-1081.
  5. 5.Graham B, Regehr G, Naglie G, et al. Development and validation of diagnostic criteria for carpal tunnel syndrome. J Hand Surg Am. 2006;31(6):919-924.
  6. 6.Fowler JR, Munsch M, Tosti R, et al. Comparison of ultrasound and electrodiagnostic testing for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: study using a validated clinical tool as the reference standard. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2014;96(17):e148.
  7. 7.Wang WL, Buterbaugh K, Kadow TR, et al. A prospective comparison of diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Hand Surg Am. 2018;43(9):833-836.e2.
  8. 8.Shi Q, Bobos P, Lalone EA, et al. Comparison of the short-term and long-term effects of surgery and nonsurgical intervention in treating carpal tunnel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hand (N Y). 2020;15(1):13-22.
  9. 9.Karjalainen TV, Lusa V, Page MJ, et al. Splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023(2):CD010003.
  10. 10.Ashworth NL, Bland JDP, Chapman KM, et al. Local corticosteroid injection versus placebo for carpal tunnel syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023(2):CD015148.
  11. 11.Yang A, Cavanaugh P, Beredjiklian PK, et al. Correlation of carpal tunnel syndrome 6 score and physical exam maneuvers with electrodiagnostic test severity in carpal tunnel syndrome: a blinded prospective cohort study. J Hand Surg Am. 2023;48(4):335-339.
  12. 12.Bowman A, Rudolfer S, Weller P, et al. A prognostic model for the patient-reported outcome of surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Muscle Nerve. 2018;58(6):784-789.

This guide is one in a series that offers evidence-based tools to assist family physicians in improving their decision-making at the point of care.

This series is coordinated by Mark H. Ebell, MD, MS, deputy editor for evidence-based medicine.

A collection of Point-of-Care Guides published in AFP is available at https://www.aafp.org/afp/poc.

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