PURPOSE: To identify the change score in the Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) Questionnaire that is associated with an important change in clinical status. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with CTS treated with a carpal tunnel steroid injection completed the Brigham and Women's Hospital CTS Questionnaire before steroid injections and at the 3-week follow-up visit. Satisfaction was determined by postcare review of the clinical management. To calculate the minimal clinically important difference, receiver operating characteristic curves were created. The area under the curve was calculated to determine and compare the responsiveness of the entire SSS and the pain and sensory questions in isolation. RESULTS: The SSS of the CTS Questionnaire, including its pain and sensory domain, can show a meaningful clinical improvement after carpal tunnel injection. The SSS, its sensory domain, and its pain domain were statistically better than chance. All 3 measures showed predictive ability; however, the total SSS was the most sensitive in detecting a change. The minimal clinically important difference in the score of the SSS after carpal tunnel steroid injection was found to be 1.04. CONCLUSIONS: The SSS can be used to distinguish a clinically important change after carpal tunnel injection. A decrease of 1.04 or more in the SSS score may indicate a clinically important change in a patient's state of health. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic, Level I.
PURPOSE: To identify the change score in the Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) Questionnaire that is associated with an important change in clinical status. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with CTS treated with a carpal tunnel steroid injection completed the Brigham and Women's Hospital CTS Questionnaire before steroid injections and at the 3-week follow-up visit. Satisfaction was determined by postcare review of the clinical management. To calculate the minimal clinically important difference, receiver operating characteristic curves were created. The area under the curve was calculated to determine and compare the responsiveness of the entire SSS and the pain and sensory questions in isolation. RESULTS: The SSS of the CTS Questionnaire, including its pain and sensory domain, can show a meaningful clinical improvement after carpal tunnel injection. The SSS, its sensory domain, and its pain domain were statistically better than chance. All 3 measures showed predictive ability; however, the total SSS was the most sensitive in detecting a change. The minimal clinically important difference in the score of the SSS after carpal tunnel steroid injection was found to be 1.04. CONCLUSIONS: The SSS can be used to distinguish a clinically important change after carpal tunnel injection. A decrease of 1.04 or more in the SSS score may indicate a clinically important change in a patient's state of health. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic, Level I.
Authors: Mohammad Reza Nourbakhsh; Thomas J Bell; Jason Benson Martin; Amir Massoud Arab Journal: J Altern Complement Med Date: 2016-08-03 Impact factor: 2.579
Authors: Tuan A Tran; Lisa M Williams; Donna Bui; Colleen Anthonisen; Eduard Poltavskiy; Robert M Szabo Journal: J Hand Surg Am Date: 2017-09-23 Impact factor: 2.230
Authors: Marie Badalamente; Laureen Coffelt; John Elfar; Glenn Gaston; Warren Hammert; Jerry Huang; Lisa Lattanza; Joy Macdermid; Greg Merrell; David Netscher; Zubin Panthaki; Greg Rafijah; Douglas Trczinski; Brent Graham Journal: J Hand Surg Am Date: 2013-02 Impact factor: 2.230