Peer-reviewed research
Prevalence and predictive factors for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome by electrodiagnosis: A retrospective study
Apiradee Singjam and Kanchana Charoentanyarak, PLoS One, 2021 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0260578
Read the originalRead on October 17, 2026
- What it is
- A retrospective study of 327 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome at Khon Kaen Hospital in Thailand. It counted how many had the condition in both hands on nerve conduction testing and which factors predicted it.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed and openly available. Retrospective and from one hospital, and the patients had been referred for nerve testing, so the figure is not a rate for the general population.
Facts taken from this source
- In a retrospective study of 327 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, 80.7 percent had the condition in both hands when judged by nerve conduction testing.
“The median duration of symptoms was 60 days. The prevalence of bilateral CTS was 80.7%.” (Results)
- In the same study, the authors found that bilateral symptoms, age of 45 or older and weakness at the thumb base predicted carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands.
“bilateral CTS was predicted with adequate diagnostic accuracy by bilateral symptoms, age ≥ 45 years, and thenar muscle weakness” (Conclusion)
- The authors state that patients with symptoms in one hand are frequently found to have carpal tunnel syndrome on both sides when tested electrodiagnostically.
“Patients who have unilateral symptoms are frequently found to have bilateral CTS by electrodiagnostic (EDx) study” (Introduction)