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Factors influencing return to work after surgery for ulnar nerve compression at the elbow

Giöstad, Alice ; Zimmerman, Malin LU orcid ; Anker, Ilka LU ; Dahlin, Erik LU ; Dahlin, Lars B. LU orcid and Nyman, Erika LU (2022) In Scientific Reports 12(1).
Abstract

Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow (UNE) frequently affects people of working age. Surgically treated patients may not immediately return to work (RTW) postoperatively. In 2008, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency reformed the national insurance policy. We aimed to examine RTW postoperatively for UNE, variations among surgical methods, and potential risk factors for prolonged RTW (sick leave > 6 weeks). Surgically treated cases of UNE (n = 635) from two time periods (2004–2008 and 2009–2014) and two healthcare regions (Southern and South-eastern) were studied retrospectively regarding age, sex, comorbidities, occupation, type of surgery and time to RTW. A sub-analysis of the exact number of weeks before RTW (n = 201) revealed... (More)

Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow (UNE) frequently affects people of working age. Surgically treated patients may not immediately return to work (RTW) postoperatively. In 2008, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency reformed the national insurance policy. We aimed to examine RTW postoperatively for UNE, variations among surgical methods, and potential risk factors for prolonged RTW (sick leave > 6 weeks). Surgically treated cases of UNE (n = 635) from two time periods (2004–2008 and 2009–2014) and two healthcare regions (Southern and South-eastern) were studied retrospectively regarding age, sex, comorbidities, occupation, type of surgery and time to RTW. A sub-analysis of the exact number of weeks before RTW (n = 201) revealed longer RTW for unemployed cases compared to employed cases. Prolonged RTW was seen among younger, manual workers and after transposition or revision surgery. Prolonged RTW was approximately four times more likely after transposition than after simple decompression. Comparisons before and after 2008 showed occupational differences and differences in RTW, where cases operated before 2008 more often had permanent sickness benefit, but the reform of the social insurance system did not seem to influence RTW. In conclusion, unemployment, younger age at surgery, manual labour, transposition, and revision surgery were related to prolonged RTW.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scientific Reports
volume
12
issue
1
article number
22229
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:36564424
  • scopus:85144635996
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-022-26363-z
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8b5449b8-2fb3-4d55-9fe6-d0b162a3ccfd
date added to LUP
2023-01-05 10:56:59
date last changed
2024-04-04 15:22:40
@article{8b5449b8-2fb3-4d55-9fe6-d0b162a3ccfd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow (UNE) frequently affects people of working age. Surgically treated patients may not immediately return to work (RTW) postoperatively. In 2008, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency reformed the national insurance policy. We aimed to examine RTW postoperatively for UNE, variations among surgical methods, and potential risk factors for prolonged RTW (sick leave &gt; 6 weeks). Surgically treated cases of UNE (n = 635) from two time periods (2004–2008 and 2009–2014) and two healthcare regions (Southern and South-eastern) were studied retrospectively regarding age, sex, comorbidities, occupation, type of surgery and time to RTW. A sub-analysis of the exact number of weeks before RTW (n = 201) revealed longer RTW for unemployed cases compared to employed cases. Prolonged RTW was seen among younger, manual workers and after transposition or revision surgery. Prolonged RTW was approximately four times more likely after transposition than after simple decompression. Comparisons before and after 2008 showed occupational differences and differences in RTW, where cases operated before 2008 more often had permanent sickness benefit, but the reform of the social insurance system did not seem to influence RTW. In conclusion, unemployment, younger age at surgery, manual labour, transposition, and revision surgery were related to prolonged RTW.</p>}},
  author       = {{Giöstad, Alice and Zimmerman, Malin and Anker, Ilka and Dahlin, Erik and Dahlin, Lars B. and Nyman, Erika}},
  issn         = {{2045-2322}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Scientific Reports}},
  title        = {{Factors influencing return to work after surgery for ulnar nerve compression at the elbow}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26363-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41598-022-26363-z}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}