Self-administered hand symptom diagram for carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis.

In a prospective case series in Singapore we studied whether a hand symptom diagram can be used to predict carpal tunnel syndrome as defined by standardized clinical and neurophysiological protocol. Forty patients (mean age, 48 years, range 18-76) with carpal tunnel syndrome found it difficult to complete the hand diagram, and only four patients were able to mark it helpfully. There was no relation between drawings, clinical and neurophysiological parameters. A self-administered hand symptoms diagram is not useful for supporting a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome amongst Singaporeans. Cultural factors may significantly influence subjective assessment scales such as the self-administered hand symptom diagram, which has been found effective in North American populations.