Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Long-term effectiveness of steroid injections and splinting in mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.
To evaluate the long-term efficacy of non-surgical treatment methods for mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome, 120 patients with clinical symptoms and electrophysiologic evidence were included in a prospective, randomized and blinded trial: 60 patients were instructed to wear splints every night, 30 received injections of betamethasone 4 cm proximal to the carpal tunnel, and 30 received injections distal to the carpal tunnel. After approximately 1 year (mean, 11 months; range, 9-14), 108 patients were available for final evaluation. ⋯ Splinting provided symptomatic relief and improved sensory and motor nerve conduction velocities at the long-term follow-up when the splints were worn almost every night. Proximal and distal injections of steroids were ineffective on the basis of both clinical symptoms and electrophysiologic findings.