Demographic pattern of carpal tunnel syndrome in western Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: To study the demographic characteristics of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: A retrospective collection of 135 cases with CTS, diagnosed clinically and electrophysiologically. The studied cases presented to the Orthopedic Clinic of King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between January 1999, and December 2009. The demographic data (age, gender, and site of involvement) were collected from the medical records.

RESULTS: The 135 cases comprised 112 females, and 23 males, with a male:female ratio of 1:4.9. The mean age was 45.5 years in women (range 17-74 years) and 48.5 years in males (range 20-77). The age related gender distribution of the subjects were the highest among the age group 45-54 years in both males (34.8%) and females (33.9%). The CTS occurred bilaterally in 74 cases (55%), and unilaterally in 61 cases (45%), with 41 cases affected on the right side and 20 the left side.

CONCLUSION: The demographic pattern of CTS patients in the different provinces of Saudi Arabia is almost similar, and comparative to that reported in the western countries, with slightly higher male to female ratio among the Saudi patients.