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Assessment of L-carnitine effectiveness on carpal tunnel syndrome

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Orthopedics, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Shiraz Geriatrics Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent entrapment neuropathy. Due to the results of recent studies about the protective effects of L-carnitine on nerves, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects L-carnitine on CTS improvement in terms of patient's function, electrodiagnostic study (EDX), and median nerve sonography.
Methods: In this double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, patients with CTS were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then, divided into two groups of placebo and L-carnitine at a dose of 500 mg twice daily for 6 weeks. They were assessed at baseline, and 4 and 6 weeks later using Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ)‎, median nerve conduction study (EDX), and sonography.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of BCTQ‎ scores, electrodiagnostic findings, and sonographic indexes. Although based on the results of the repeated measures test of the intervention and control groups separately, there was a statistically significant difference in some electrodiagnostic criteria and BCTQ‎ scores. These indexes improved after the intervention.
Conclusion: The effectiveness of L-carnitine on mild to moderate CTS improvement cannot be approve based on the findings of this study and more studies and systematic reviews are required in this regard.

Keywords

References
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Current Journal of Neurology
Volume 21, Issue 3
July 2022
Pages 162-169
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