Khired Zenat, Shawish Ali M, Mojiri Mohammed E, Albarrati Ayman M, Hobani Alhassan H, Madkhali Hatem A, Hakami Ali J, Adawi Khowlah A, Hakami Sultan M, Hakami Layla B, Muqri Khalid Y, Awaji Alyazid Y, Ageeli Fatimah E, Sayegh Anas A
Department of Surgery, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Sep 2;16(9):e68458. doi: 10.7759/cureus.68458. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Background Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common musculoskeletal condition of the hand and wrist frequently associated with repetitive hand motion and environmental considerations. Teachers are more likely to acquire CTS because of their lengthy writing and computer use. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CTS symptoms and related variables among schoolteachers in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Methods This study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey of teachers in Jazan, utilizing an online platform for data collection. The Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) was the primary tool used to determine symptom intensity and functional status. The data were rigorously analyzed using a range of statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman's correlation, the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and binary logistic regression, ensuring the robustness of the findings. Results The study comprised 336 schoolteachers with a mean age of 43.3 ± 6.5 years, of whom 58.0% were female and 42.0% were male. About 8.0% of instructors reported CTS symptoms. Female gender (median Symptom Severity Scale (SSS): 15.0 vs. 12.0, p < 0.001; median Functional Status Scale (FSS): 8.0 vs. 8.0, p < 0.001), increased time spent writing (r = 0.237, p < 0.001 for SSS; r = 0.217, p < 0.001 for FSS), and presence of comorbidities such as diabetes (median SSS: 16.0, p = 0.002; median FSS: 8.0, p = 0.001) had a negative correlation with symptom severity (r = -0.174, p = 0.002) and functional impairment (r = -0.141, p = 0.011). Surgical therapy (median SSS: 32.0; median FSS: 24.0; p<0.001) and post-treatment symptom recurrence (median SSS: 28.0; median FSS: 22.0; p<0.001) were associated with increased severity and disability. According to binary logistic regression, increased writing time significantly predicted CTS diagnosis (OR = 1.151, 95% CI: 1.024-1.295, p = 0.018). Conclusion CTS symptoms are common among Jazan teachers, and various sociodemographic, vocational, and clinical variables influence their intensity and functional status. Ergonomic treatment, early identification, and suitable management measures are critical for preventing and mitigating the effects of CTS among teachers. Additional research is required to develop focused therapies and enhance the results of this occupational group.
背景 腕管综合征（CTS）是一种常见的手部和腕部肌肉骨骼疾病，常与重复性手部动作及环境因素有关。教师由于长时间书写和使用电脑，更容易患上CTS。本研究旨在确定沙特阿拉伯吉赞地区学校教师中CTS症状及相关变量的患病率。方法 本研究采用在线平台收集数据，对吉赞地区的教师进行横断面调查。波士顿腕管综合征问卷（BCTQ）是用于确定症状强度和功能状态的主要工具。使用一系列统计方法对数据进行严格分析，包括描述性统计、曼-惠特尼U检验、克鲁斯卡尔-沃利斯检验、斯皮尔曼相关性分析、卡方检验、费舍尔精确检验和二元逻辑回归，以确保研究结果的稳健性。结果 该研究纳入了336名学校教师，平均年龄为43.3±6.5岁，其中58.0%为女性，42.0%为男性。约8.0%的教师报告有CTS症状。女性（症状严重程度量表（SSS）中位数：15.0对12.0，p<0.001；功能状态量表（FSS）中位数：8.0对8.0，p<0.001）、书写时间增加（SSS的r=0.237，p<0.001；FSS的r=0.217，p<0.001）以及存在糖尿病等合并症（SSS中位数：16.0，p=0.002；FSS中位数：8.0，p=0.001）与症状严重程度（r=-0.174，p=0.002）和功能损害（r=-0.141，p=0.011）呈负相关。手术治疗（SSS中位数：32.0；FSS中位数：24.0；p<0.001）和治疗后症状复发（SSS中位数：28.0；FSS中位数：22.0；p<0.001）与严重程度和残疾程度增加有关。根据二元逻辑回归分析，书写时间增加显著预测CTS诊断（OR=1.151，95%CI：1.024-1.295，p=0.018）。结论 CTS症状在吉赞地区的教师中很常见，各种社会人口统计学、职业和临床变量会影响其症状强度和功能状态。人体工程学治疗、早期识别和适当的管理措施对于预防和减轻教师中CTS的影响至关重要。需要进一步研究以开发针对性的治疗方法并改善该职业群体的治疗效果。
