AGERT- MANUŽ Literature No.5

Objective
To describe an innovative hand brace and determine its efficacy and tolerability.

Patients and methods
Eighty-three subjects with symptoms, signs and electrophysiologic findings of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) were randomized. The treated group was instructed to wear the hand brace every night for 4 weeks; the control group received no treatment. The prirnary efficacy measure was change in the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) score, assessing symptoms and function, from baseline to 2 and 4 weeks. Secondary measures were Subjects' Global Impression of Change Questionnaire (SGICQ) at 4 weeks, changes from baseline to 4 weeks of median distal latency, sensory conduction velocity and amplitude, and neurophysiological class of severity.

Results
The treated group showed reduction in BCTQ symptomatic score (from 2.75 to 1.54 at 4 weeks; p<0.001) and functional score (from 1.89 to 1.48; p<0.001). SGICQ document improvement in all treated patients and in 25% of controls (p<0.01). No significant difference was found in median distal motor lateney and sensory conduction velocity in both groups, but sensory amplitude showed a trend to increase at 4 weeks (p=0.05) in treated group. Overall neurophysiological classification shifted to less severe classes in the treated group (p<0.05). The hand brace was very well tolerated.

Conclusion
This short term study demonstrate that the band brace is highly
efficient in relieving CTS symptoms and functional loss and
well tolerated.