Conservative or surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome based on the severity and patient risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common median nerve compression disease which may result in impaired nerve function. This study was carried out to determine which treatment is more appropriate for moderate or severe CTS patients with or without risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cohort prospective study, the patients with moderate CTS received a conservative treatment including night splint for 3 months, one methyl prednisolone injection whereas patients with severe CTS underwent surgical release. They were followed for 1 year using the bland scale based on the electromyography and nerve conduction velocity studies and five-point global assessment outcome scale. RESULTS: Totally, 68 moderate CTS cases (32 patients with risk factors and 36 without any risk factors) and 32 cases with severe CTS (16 patients with risk factors and 16 without any risk factors) were assess at 6 months and 1 year following the treatment. Although about 22% of moderate CTS patients with risk factors changed to mild CTS after 6 months of conservative treatment, about 75% showed mild CTS or complete remedy following 1 year (P value < 0.001). This result was about 30% at 6 months and about 95% at 1 year following conservative treatment in patients with moderate CTS without risk factors. None of moderate CTS patients with or without risk factors underwent surgery after 1 year of follow-up. Although almost all patients with severe CTS, with and without risk factors, showed complete recovery or changed to mild CTS at 1 year postoperatively, the result was statistically significant for cases without risk factors (P value = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment for moderate CTS would be a good option, and the final result may be seen 1 year later; however, its positive effect is quicker and better for moderate CTS cases without risk factors. Surgical release of the carpal tunnel may be the best choice not only for severe CTS cases with risk factors but also for cases without risk factors. For obtaining consistent rapid result, it is recommended to do surgical release for all cases of moderate or severe CTS without considering risk factors, but more clinical researches are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Cutaneous application of menthol 10% solution as an abortive treatment of migraine without aura: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossed-over study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the cutaneous application of menthol 10% solution for the abortive treatment of migraine. BACKGROUND: Peppermint and its active ingredient menthol have long been used for the treatment of various pain conditions including headache. METHODS: This is a randomised, triple-blind, placebo-controlled, crossed-over study conducted in the neurology Clinic of Nemazee Hospital, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, southern Iran, from March 2007 to March 2008. The patients were recruited via local newspaper advertisements. Eligible patients were categorised into two groups and a 10% ethanol solution of menthol (as drug) and 0.5% ethanol solution of menthol (as placebo) were applied to the forehead and temporal area in a crossover design. Pain free, pain relief, sustained pain free and sustained pain relief end-points were measured by questionnaires using a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The intent-to-treat population consisted of 35 patients (80% women, 20% men, mean age: 29.6 +/- 6.2) with 118 migraine attacks. In the intent-to-treat population, the menthol solution was statistically superior to the placebo on 2-h pain free (p = 0.001), 2-h pain relief (p = 0.000), sustained pain free and sustained pain relief end-points (p = 0.008). The menthol solution was also more efficacious in the alleviation of nausea and/or vomiting and phonophobia and/or photophobia (p = 0.02). In the per-protocol population, there was significantly higher number of patients who experienced at least one pain free/pain relief after the application of menthol rather than the placebo (p = 0.002). No significant difference was seen between the adverse effects of the drug and the placebo groups (p = 0.13). CONCLUSION: Menthol solution can be an efficacious, safe and tolerable therapeutic option for the abortive treatment of migraine.