Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38016794›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2023

Efficacy of splinting the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints for the treatment of Carpal tunnel syndrome: an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial.

Mohammed Sh Nadar, Naser Alotaibi, Fahad Manee

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 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
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
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, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Evaluation of Splint and Exercise Interventions for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Insights from Ultrasonographic Measurements.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2024
    Trial
  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

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Mohammed Sh NadarOccupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Jabriah, Kuwait mohammed.nadar@ku.edu.kw.ORCID 0000-0003-4281-5630
Naser AlotaibiOccupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Jabriah, Kuwait.
Fahad ManeeOccupational Therapy Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Jabriah, Kuwait.
Kuwait University · KW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo compare the efficacy of a traditional cock-up splint, which supports the wrist only, with a modified splint that supports the wrist and the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints of the medial four digits in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

designAn assessor-blind randomised controlled trial.

settingHospital-based hand therapy clinics.

participantsFifty-nine adults with mild-to-moderate CTS were randomly assigned to wear a wrist splint (control group) or an MCP splint (intervention group) for 6 weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: The standardised outcome measures used included grip and pinch strength, the static two-point discrimination test, Phalen's manoeuvre test, Tinel's sign and the Boston CTS Questionnaire.

resultsBoth groups improved significantly from splint use in some clinical features. The wrist splint and the MCP splint groups had significant improvements in lateral pinch strength (p=0.032 and p=0.002, respectively), two-point discrimination of the thumb (p=0.003 and p=0.041, respectively), two-point discrimination of the index (p=0.035 and p=0.023, respectively) and the Phalen's manoeuvre symptoms (p=0.025 and p=0.002, respectively). The MCP splint group had additional improvements over the wrist splint group in tip pinch (p=0.012) and Palmar pinch (p=0.011) strength.

conclusionSplinting is a practical and effective intervention option for improving the symptoms of CTS. A wrist splint that incorporates the MCP joints is more effective than the traditional wrist-only splint, with long-lasting improvements that remained consistent after 6 months of the splint intervention. Using the more effective MCP splint may consequently reduce disability, facilitate return to work and lower the associated costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13189602.

Indexed as

Carpal Tunnel SyndromeOccupational TherapyAdultHand StrengthHumansMetacarpophalangeal JointTreatment OutcomeWristHand & wristMusculoskeletal disordersREHABILITATION MEDICINE

Identifiers

PMID38016794
PMCPMC10685984
OpenAlexW4389152491

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.