Observational studyBMJ open2018
Trends in the prevalence, incidence and surgical management of carpal tunnel syndrome between 1993 and 2013: an observational analysis of UK primary care records.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 39 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
39 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 96 citations in OpenAlex.
- Global and Regional Prevalence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis Based on a Systematic Review.Musculoskeletal care · 2024Pooled it
- The effectiveness of manual therapy on pain, physical function, and nerve conduction studies in carpal tunnel syndrome patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International orthopaedics · 2022Pooled it
- Open versus endoscopic carpal tunnel release: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Pooled it
- Bilateral Idiopathic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Clinical-Functional Characterization and Efficacy of Two Combined Postoperative Physiotherapeutic Treatments.Orthopaedic surgery · 2023Trial
- The effectiveness of corticosteroid injection versus night splints for carpal tunnel syndrome: 24-month follow-up of a randomized trial.Rheumatology (Oxford, England) · 2023Trial
- The clinical and cost-effectiveness of corticosteroid injection versus night splints for carpal tunnel syndrome (INSTINCTS trial): an open-label, parallel group, randomised controlled trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2018Trial
- Review
- Medical Service Utilization for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Korea (2010-2017): A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study Using a Nationally Representative Sample from the HIRA-National Patient Sample Database.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Article
- Wide-awake vs. regional anesthesia for carpal tunnel release: a prospective study on pain, grip strength, and sleep quality.BMC surgery · 2025Observational
- Exploring patient perception of decision-making in carpal tunnel release surgery: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.Hand therapy · 2024Review
- Accuracy of the Standard and Distal-to-Proximal Sequence of the Upper Limb Neurodynamic Test 1 for the Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: The Role of Side-to-Side Comparisons.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Article
- Article
- Understanding the Mechanosensitivity of the Median Nerve in Pre-Surgical Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Patients: A Correlational Study.Brain sciences · 2024Article
- Trends in consultations and prescribing for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: an electronic primary care records study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2023Observational
- Awareness of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Among the Middle-Aged Population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Cureus · 2023Article
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.Journal of personalized medicine · 2023Article
- Article
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on referrals to musculoskeletal services from primary care and subsequent incidence of inflammatory rheumatic musculoskeletal disease: an observational study.Rheumatology advances in practice · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo describe the prevalence, incidence and surgical management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), between 1993 and 2013, as recorded in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD).
designWe completed a series of cross-sectional epidemiological analyses to observe trends over time.
settingPrimary care data collected between 1993 and 2013, stored in the CPRD. POPULATION: Individuals aged ≥18 years were selected. Prevalent and incident episodes of CTS and episodes of surgical intervention were identified using a list of preidentified Read codes. ANALYSIS: We defined incident episodes as those with no preceding diagnostic code for CTS in the past 2 years of data. Episodes of surgery were expressed as a percentage of the prevalent population during the same calendar year. Joinpoint regression was used to determine significant changes in the underlying trend.
resultsThe prevalence of CTS increased over the study period, with a particular incline between 2000 and 2004 (annual percentage change 7.81). The female-to-male prevalence ratio reduced over time from 2.74 in 1993 to 1.93 in 2013. The median age of females and males with CTS were noted to increase from 49 and 53 years, respectively in 1993 to 54 and 59 years, respectively in 2013. Incidence was also noted to increase over time. After an initial increase between 1993 and 2007, the percentage of prevalent patients with a coded surgical episode began to decrease after 2007 to 27.41% in 2013 (annual percentage change -1.7).
conclusionThis study has demonstrated that the prevalence and incidence of CTS increased over the study period between 1993 and 2013. Rates of surgery for CTS also increased over the study period; however after 2007, the per cent of patients receiving surgery showed a statistically significant decline back to the rate seen in 2004.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.