Correlation of Pain Drawing Patterns with Electrophysiological Findings in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

, Bun, Hye Ryoung; , Kim, Dong Hwee; , Hwang, Mi Ryoung; , Kim, Ki Hoon; , Kang, Yoon Kyoo

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2007;31(6):705-710.

Bun, Hye Ryoung , Kim, Dong Hwee , Hwang, Mi Ryoung , Kim, Ki Hoon , Kang, Yoon Kyoo

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea. yoonkang@korea.ac.kr

수근관 증후군 환자의 통증 그림 패턴과 전기 진단학적 소견의 연관성

번혜령, 김동휘, 황미령, 김기훈, 강윤규

고려대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실

Abstract

Objective
To evaluate the association between neuralgic pain distribution and the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
Method
Pain drawings using computerized pain chart system were collected from 131 patients (213 hands) with CTS. The presence and severity of CTS were determined by means of median motor and sensory nerve conduction studies. The severity was divided into 3 classes on the basis of electrophysiological findings: mild (93 hands), moderate (70 hands) and severe (50 hands). The similarities between pain drawing patterns and median nerve dermatome in the hands were evaluated. The pain distributions of the palmar and dorsal sides of each five fingers, palm and dorsum of hand were also evaluated.
Results
There were no significant differences in similarity values of pain distribution among the groups of CTS hands divided by severity: similarity values were 0.22±0.14 in mild CTS patients, 0.24±0.16 in moderate CTS patients and 0.27±0.14 in severe CTS patients. In the CTS patients, the pain drawings showed relatively frequent distributions in the palmar side of 2^ndto 4^th fingers.
Conclusion
There was no significant correlation between pain drawing patterns and severity of CTS. The pain drawings of patients with CTS indicate distribution to be most frequent in the palmar side of 2^nd to 4^th fingers. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2007; 31: 705-710)

Key Words: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Pain, Drawing