Frequency of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the administrative staff of hospitals in Twin Cities

Background: The most prevalent peripheral neuropathy is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) which is due to compression of the median nerve in the wrist. Administrative and office workers are especially susceptible to repetition of the wrist and the extensive use of computers. Although CTS is occupationally relevant, local information on CTS prevalence of hospital administrative personnel in Pakistan is scarce. Objective: To determine the frequency of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among hospital administrative staff in twin cities. Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey (124/IMDC/IREB/-2023) was conducted in Islamabad from September to December 2023 at Akbar Niazi Hospital and Farooq Hospital, Islamabad. A total of 200 subjects under 55 years of age, working on computers for at least one year, were assessed using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS v21. Results: Participants’ mean age was 30.24 ± 7.09 years, with mean working hours of 6.52 ± 2.29 (range: 2–12). Of the 200 subjects, 136 (68%) were male and 64 (32%) female. On the symptom severity scale, p=0.02, while on the functional severity scale, p=0.56. Positive Phalen’s test confirmed CTS diagnosis in line with Boston scores. The overall frequency of CTS was 159 (79.5%). Conclusion: CTS was common among hospital administrative staff under 55 years, with higher prevalence in males than females. The study highlights prolonged computer use and wrist strain as contributing factors to CTS development, supporting existing literature on occupational risks.