Serum levels of Interleukin-6 in patients with Idiopathic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A case control study in Najaf Province

Abstract

Background: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a disease caused by a compression of the median nerve at the wrist within carpal canal that lead to multiple symptoms as paraesthesia, numbness and pain sensation in the median distribution fingers. If untreated, it leads to sensation loss, thenar muscle weakness and atrophy. It is most frequent peripheral neuropathy of upper limbs and is most predominant in female gender. The pathogenesis of CTS is yet unknown, and the majority of conditions are idiopathic.

Interleukin 6 is a cytokine that has multiple functions including pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory or regenerative actions. The impact of serum inflammatory cytokines on incidence and severity of CTS is still unclear.

Aim of the study: this study aims to correlate the clinical severity of CTS and the serum interleukin 6 concentrations.

Patients and methods: This is a case control study which involved 140 participants who were categorized into 70 patients with CTS and 70 healthy persons according to clinical assessment and nerve conduction study results. After that, the participants were divided to normal, mild, moderate and severe groups according to Boston carpal tunnel questionnaire (BCTQ). Then, a blood sample was taken from each participant to assess serum interleukin 6 levels. A statistical analysis by SPSS was done for the collected data.

Results: The study has shown that there was no significant correlation between serum interleukin 6 levels and the clinical severity score of CTS (P value >0.05).

Conclusion: It has been concluded that serum interleukin 6 levels did not have an impact on incidence and clinical severity of CTS and that its role in CTS is yet unclear.