Higher preoperative pain catastrophizing increases the risk of low patient reported satisfaction after carpal tunnel release: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common upper-limb nerve compression disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to several symptoms such as tingling or numbness, pain in the hand or wrist, and reduced grip strength. Based on demographic characteristics, patient reported outcome measures, and with special attention to pain catastrophizing, the purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for low patient-reported satisfaction following surgical treatment of idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: A total of 417 hands from 417 patients (64. 5% females) with a mean age of 58. 0 years were included in this 1-year prospective follow-up study. We collected preoperative data on disability using the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH), quality of life using the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), pain catastrophizing using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and distal motor latency. Data on DASH score, EQ-5D, and patient satisfaction was collected 12 months postoperatively. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test was used to test for difference in preoperative and postoperative DASH and EQ-5D score. Risk factors for low postoperative patient reported satisfaction was examined using stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: We found a general improvement in patients’ DASH scores (12.29 [95% CI: 10.65–13.90], p < 0.001) and EQ-5D (0.14 [95% CI: 0.13–0.16], p < 0.001) from preoperative to 12 months postoperative. In the fully adjusted multiple regression analysis we found a statistically significant effect of preoperative PCS on patient reported satisfaction with OR = 1.05 (p = 0.022), for a one unit increase in preoperative PCS. There was no statistically significant predictive effect of preoperative EQ-5D (p = 0.869), DASH (p = 0.076), distal motor latency (p = 0.067), age (p = 0.505) or gender (p = 0.222). CONCLUSIONS: Patients improved in both DASH and EQ-5D from preoperative to 12 months postoperative. Higher preoperative PCS seems to have a negative effect on postoperative patient reported satisfaction after carpal tunnel release.