Article

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of conducting trials of static magnetic
field (SMF) therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), to collect preliminary data
on the effectiveness of 2 SMF dosages, and to explore the influence of an SMF on
median nerve conduction. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial
with a 6-week intervention and a 12-week follow-up.
SETTING: University hospital
outpatient clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Women and men (N=60), ages 21 to 65 years, with
an electrophysiologically confirmed CTS diagnosis recruited from the general
population. INTERVENTIONS: Participants wore nightly either neodymium magnets
that delivered either 15 or 45 mTesla (mT) to the contents of the carpal canal or
a nonmagnetic disk. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) and
Function Severity Scale (FSS) of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ)
and 4 median nerve parameters: sensory distal latency, sensory nerve action
potential amplitude, motor distal latency and compound motor action potential
amplitude. RESULTS: Fifty-eight of 60 randomized participants completed the
study. There were no significant between-group differences for change in the
primary endpoint SSS or for FSS or median nerve conduction parameters. For the
SSS and the FSS, each group showed a reduction at 6 weeks indicating improvement
in symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the feasibility and safety of testing
SMF therapy for CTS. There were no between-group differences observed for the
BCTQ or median nerve parameters after 6 weeks of SMF therapy. Significant
within-group, symptomatic improvements of the same magnitude were experienced by
participants in both active and sham magnet groups. Future studies are needed to
optimize SMF dosimetry and resolve issues related to the use of sham controls in
SMF trials.
CI - Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS