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Exposure-response relationships between movements and postures of the wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome among male and female house painters : a retrospective cohort study

Heilskov-Hansen, Thomas ; Mikkelsen, Sigurd ; Svendsen, Susanne Wulff ; Thygesen, Lau Caspar ; Hansson, Gert-Åke LU and Thomsen, Jane Frølund (2016) In Occupational and Environmental Medicine 73(6). p.401-408
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate exposure-response relationships between measured movements and postures of the wrist and the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and any modifications by sex.

METHODS: In 2011, we established a historical cohort of 9364 members of the Painters' Union in Denmark. Self-reported task distributions were obtained by questionnaire (53% responded) and combined with sex-specific task exposure matrices to get individual estimates of exposure intensity, that is, velocity of wrist flexion/extension, mean power frequency (MPF) and non-neutral wrist postures. Exposure duration was assessed from yearly working proportions. Registered first-time hospital discharge CTS diagnoses and CTS surgery were collected as... (More)

OBJECTIVES: To investigate exposure-response relationships between measured movements and postures of the wrist and the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and any modifications by sex.

METHODS: In 2011, we established a historical cohort of 9364 members of the Painters' Union in Denmark. Self-reported task distributions were obtained by questionnaire (53% responded) and combined with sex-specific task exposure matrices to get individual estimates of exposure intensity, that is, velocity of wrist flexion/extension, mean power frequency (MPF) and non-neutral wrist postures. Exposure duration was assessed from yearly working proportions. Registered first-time hospital discharge CTS diagnoses and CTS surgery were collected as outcomes. The cohort was followed from 1994 to 2010. Log-linear Poisson regression was used.

RESULTS: For CTS diagnoses, the adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) increased with increasing wrist velocity (IRR=1.37 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.71) per °/s) and MPF (IRR=1.53 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.91) per 0.01 Hz). For CTS surgery, the results were similar. The outcomes were not related to non-neutral postures or exposure duration. The adjusted IRRs for women were higher than those for men. There were no multiplicative interaction effects between exposure intensity, exposure duration and sex. However, the absolute incidence rates (IRs) increased at a steeper rate for women than for men, indicating an additive interaction.

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of CTS increased with increasing velocity of wrist flexion/extension and MPF of wrist movements. The relative increase in incidence rates was the same for women and men, but the absolute incidence rates increased at a steeper rate for women than for men.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
volume
73
issue
6
pages
401 - 408
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:27030204
  • scopus:84966657015
  • wos:000376760500007
ISSN
1470-7926
DOI
10.1136/oemed-2015-103298
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
932d0e40-effc-419f-9843-66cdfb62de4c
date added to LUP
2016-04-25 15:13:44
date last changed
2024-05-17 01:24:48
@article{932d0e40-effc-419f-9843-66cdfb62de4c,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVES: To investigate exposure-response relationships between measured movements and postures of the wrist and the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and any modifications by sex.</p><p>METHODS: In 2011, we established a historical cohort of 9364 members of the Painters' Union in Denmark. Self-reported task distributions were obtained by questionnaire (53% responded) and combined with sex-specific task exposure matrices to get individual estimates of exposure intensity, that is, velocity of wrist flexion/extension, mean power frequency (MPF) and non-neutral wrist postures. Exposure duration was assessed from yearly working proportions. Registered first-time hospital discharge CTS diagnoses and CTS surgery were collected as outcomes. The cohort was followed from 1994 to 2010. Log-linear Poisson regression was used.</p><p>RESULTS: For CTS diagnoses, the adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) increased with increasing wrist velocity (IRR=1.37 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.71) per °/s) and MPF (IRR=1.53 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.91) per 0.01 Hz). For CTS surgery, the results were similar. The outcomes were not related to non-neutral postures or exposure duration. The adjusted IRRs for women were higher than those for men. There were no multiplicative interaction effects between exposure intensity, exposure duration and sex. However, the absolute incidence rates (IRs) increased at a steeper rate for women than for men, indicating an additive interaction.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of CTS increased with increasing velocity of wrist flexion/extension and MPF of wrist movements. The relative increase in incidence rates was the same for women and men, but the absolute incidence rates increased at a steeper rate for women than for men.</p>}},
  author       = {{Heilskov-Hansen, Thomas and Mikkelsen, Sigurd and Svendsen, Susanne Wulff and Thygesen, Lau Caspar and Hansson, Gert-Åke and Thomsen, Jane Frølund}},
  issn         = {{1470-7926}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{401--408}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Occupational and Environmental Medicine}},
  title        = {{Exposure-response relationships between movements and postures of the wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome among male and female house painters : a retrospective cohort study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2015-103298}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/oemed-2015-103298}},
  volume       = {{73}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}