Peer-reviewed research
Arthritis as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome: a meta-analysis
R. Shiri, Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 2016 · DOI 10.3109/03009742.2015.1114141
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 studies, from five cohort, 10 case-control and eight cross-sectional designs, that asked whether rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis increase the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. It pooled odds ratios across studies using random-effects models.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed meta-analysis from a Finnish occupational health institute, with no evidence of publication bias reported. Most included studies are observational, so the odds ratios show an association rather than cause, and heterogeneity is high for some pooled estimates.
Facts taken from this source
- A 2016 meta-analysis of 23 studies found that rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis were both associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.
“Both RA and OA were associated with CTS.” (Abstract, Results)
- In a 2016 meta-analysis, rheumatoid arthritis was associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, with a pooled confounder-adjusted odds ratio of 1.96.
“1.96 (95% CI 1.57-2.44, I(2) = 32.2%, eight studies, n = 72 212) for RA” (Abstract, Results)