Relationship between the self-administered Boston questionnaire and electrophysiological findings in follow-up of surgically-treated carpal tunnel syndrome

A prospective study of electrophysiological examination and the Boston self -administered questionnaire (BQ) was carried out in patients with surgicall y-treated carpal tunnel syndrome, There were 104 hands in 93 patients (13 m en and 80 women, mean age 56 years). The BQ was used to assess the severity of symptoms and function, and nerve conduction studies were done before su rgical release by short incision at the palm, and at follow-ups 1 and 6 mon ths after surgery. The BQ severity score improved or became normal in 98% o f hands, The mean BQ scores and distal sensory and motor conduction velocit ies in the median nerve showed significant improvement at the 1 month follo w-up. Further significant improvement was found at 6 months, There was no r elationship between the improvements in BQ scores and the distal conduction in the median nerve. The degree of improvement in sensory and motor distal conduction velocities could be forecast from presurgical values, whereas t he degree of improvement in the symptoms and the functional status after re lease could not be predicted from the presurgical BQ scores.