Risk of Psychiatric Disorders Following Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Nationwide Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE: Despite the suspected link between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)-a common neuropathy-and psychiatric issues, long-term evidence, especially in Asia, remains scarce. This study investigated the long-term incidence of depression, anxiety, somatoform, and sleep disorders after CTS diagnosis in a South Korean nationwide cohort. METHODS: Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service cohort (2002-2013), newly diagnosed CTS patients (2004-2013) were identified following a 2-year washout period. Each CTS patient was propensity score-matched 1:10 with non-CTS controls based on demographics and health status. Cox proportional hazards regression yielded adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for incident depressive, anxiety, somatoform, and sleep disorders over up to 10 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Compared to controls, CTS patients had significantly elevated risks for all outcomes: depressive disorders (aHR, 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-1.74), anxiety disorders (aHR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.31-1.52), somatoform disorders (aHR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.23-1.55), and sleep disorders (aHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.25-1.49). Risk was notably higher in individuals aged