The relationship between electrodiagnostic severity and Washington Neuropathic Pain Scale in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

OBJECTIVES We undertook this study to examine the relationships between clinical symptoms as evaluated by Washington Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) and electrodiagnostic classification in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS Eighty patients with unilateral CTS were included in this study. After diagnosis of CTS by electromyography, all patients completed a 10-item questionnaire (NPS). RESULTS A statistically significant correlation between total NPS score and severity of CTS was found (p=0.013, r=0.276). CONCLUSION The present study indicates that using NPS might be useful in evaluating the clinical outcome of patients with CTS.