| Summary: | Introduction/Aim. Clinical presentation and neurophysiological examination
are crucial in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The aim of this study
was to determine sensitivity and specificity of clinical examination for
diagnosing of CTS in relation to neurophysiological evaluation. Methods. The
sample included 181 patients referred to the neurologist for further
diagnosis of pain and parestesias in the arm (81 women and 100 men mean age
42 ± 14 years and 52 ± 16 years, respectively). All the patients were
neurophysiologicly tested. Results. Out of 181 patients, clinical findings
were considered positive for CTS in 37 patients. The neurophysiological
findings for CTS were positive in 60 patients. Both clinical and
neurophysiological findings were positive in 31 patients and both findings
were negative in 115 patients (sensitivity 0,51; specificity 0,95).
Conclusion. Low sensitivity and high specificity suggest that it is easier to
exclude rather than to accurately diagnose CTS based on clinical examination
alone. Thus, there is the need for neurophysiological evaluation of patients
with complains in the arm.
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