THE BOSTON CARPAL TUNNEL QUESTIONNAIRE /BCTQ/ − A RELIABLE METHOD FOR DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF THE TREATMENT OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Authors: Vladeva E. P.  
Published: April 2020

CTS is the most common compression neuropathy with an incidence of 125-515/100 000. It is a result of compression of the median nerve by the transverse carpal ligament. It is observed in 2 to 5% of the general population, more frequently in women.In the last few years the scientific society has acknowledged the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) and more and more frequently it is being used as a standard in CTS patients. The literature also contains numerous studies on the diagnostics and treatment of CTS using BCTQ.Aim of study. To investigate the effect of a complex of physical factors on the reverse development of symptoms of moderate carpal tunnel syndrome using BCTQ and to compare the results of the BCTQ subjective rating (SSS) (symptom severity scale) and function − FSS (functional status scale) with objective assessment measured by the ENG parameters of n. medianus Materials and methods. 57 patients with mild to moderate degree of carpal tunnel syndrome clinically proven by electroneurographic study were examined. 38.60% of the patients were with right hand affected, 9 patients (15.80%) with left hand affected and 26 patients (45.60%) with bilateral involvement (n=26), In the last group, we examined both hands, i.e. 57 patients and 82 hands were investigated.Based on the analysis of our own studies, we applied the following complex physiotherapeutic program to the patients involved in the study: ultrasound, electrophoresis with Nivalin (Galantamine), and traditional kinesitherapy program.Results and discussion. By analyzing the results of the symptom severity assessment of the first part of the questionnaire we find that subjective complaints of patients decreased statistically significantly at the end of physiotherapy course from an average of 2.67 before treatment to 2.21 at the end of FTP (p <0.01). This trend continues within 1 − 4 months after the end of physiotherapy − average 1.79 and maintains up to 4 − 8 months when the mean of the results is 1.69 (p <0.001). We found that with regard to the recovery of the function of the affected hand and the way it affects some of the activities of daily living, the results of the second part of the BCTQ - functional status scale - show a statistically significant improvement at the end of the physiotherapy course 1.91 to an average of 1.63 (p <0.001), with a tendency for long-term retention and a slight decrease in the average of the results obtained to 1.37 within the first control examination at 1-4 months (p <0.001) and resistance to this trend in the following months (4-8) − 1.31 (p <0.001).Based on the ANOVA analysis and the calculation of the η coefficient, we proved that there is no significant difference in the results obtained from the Boston questionnaire and those from the ENG examination. There is a high percentage of overlap - from 53.10% to 95.60%.Although the results of the questionnaire are based on the subjective assessment of the patient, there is a high percentage of overlap with those of the objective study (ENG), which is a prerequisite for assuming that the questionnaire is highly reliable and valid and can be used as a tool for evaluating and analyzing a number of CТ C studies, which is in line with Leite's findings that the Boston Questionnaire is highly reliable and can replace any other non-standard methods for assessing CTS severityConclusions. In the presented facts of the discussion impression makes the patient's influence both on the subjective complaints and the clinical symptoms as well as on the degree of restoration of the affected hand functions at the end of the physiotherapy course, the continuation of this trend up to 4 months after the end of the treatment and maintaining it for 4 to 8 months.Although the results of BCTQ are based on the subjective assessment of the patient, there is a high percentage of overlap with those of the objective study (ENG), which is a prerequisite for assuming that the questionnaire is highly reliable and valid and can be used as a tool for evaluating and analyzing a number of carpal tunnel studies, which is in line with Leite's findings that the Boston Questionnaire is highly reliable and can replace any other non-standard methods for assessing CTS severity