Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35611507›Full record

ArticleHand (New York, N.Y.)2023

Ultrasound Cross-Sectional Area of the Median Nerve Is Not a Predictor of Patient Reported Outcomes After Carpal Tunnel Release.

Nicholas F Aloi, Morgan R Kohls, Jeffrey C Wera, John R Fowler

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Hand (New York, N.Y.), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Nicholas F AloiUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5762-9622
Morgan R KohlsUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6493-9653
Jeffrey C WeraTemple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
John R FowlerUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cross sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve on ultrasound (US) with pre- and postoperative Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores. We hypothesize that there is a positive correlation between CSA and the ΔBCTQ after carpal tunnel release (CTR).

methodsThis was a single center study. During a 6-year period (2014-2020), CSA of the median nerve on US and BCTQ scores were collected prospectively for patients presenting with the chief complaint of numbness and tingling in the upper extremity. Patients who underwent CTR and presented for their 6-week follow-up had repeat measurements of the CSA and BCTQ. These patients were included in this study. Patients were then divided into ultrasound positive (CSA ≥ 10) and ultrasound negative (CSA < 10) groups. These groups were compared on the basis of demographics, preoperative BCTQ scores, postoperative BCTQ scores, and 6-week ΔBCTQ score.

resultsUS-positive and-negative groups did not differ significantly in their preoperative BCTQ, postoperative BCTQ, or ΔBCTQ scores. Both groups did, however, experience significant improvement when comparing preoperative to postoperative BCTQ scores within their respective US group.

conclusionRegardless of the preoperative CSA of the median nerve, patients who underwent CTR experienced a significant improvement in their BCTQ results. US-positive patients experienced no greater improvement than US-negative patients. These results would suggest that US is not a good predictor of subjective surgical outcome measures such as the BCTQ.

Indexed as

Carpal Tunnel SyndromeMedian NerveHumansPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresUltrasonographyWristanatomybasic sciencecarpal tunnel syndromediagnosismedian nervenervenerve compressionoutcomespainresearch & health outcomesspecialtysurgerywrist

Identifiers

PMID35611507
PMCPMC9896290

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.