Peer-reviewed research
Hypothyroidism and carpal tunnel syndrome: a meta-analysis
R Shiri, Muscle & Nerve, 2014 · DOI 10.1002/mus.24453
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A random-effects meta-analysis of 18 studies that tested whether hypothyroidism is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, comparing studies that did and did not adjust for other factors.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed. The author reports publication bias, and the association shrinks once studies adjust for confounders, so the remaining excess risk is modest and may be partly explained by other factors.
Facts taken from this source
- In studies that adjusted for some confounders, the effect size for hypothyroidism fell to 1.44.
“the effect size for hypothyroidism largely attenuated (N = 71,133, ES = 1.44 [95% CI, 1.27-1.63], I(2) = 0%)” (Abstract, Results)
- In studies that did not adjust for any confounder, hypothyroidism had an effect size of 2.15 for carpal tunnel syndrome.
“between hypothyroidism and CTS (N = 64,531, ES = 2.15 [95% CI, 1.64-2.83])” (Abstract, Results)