A Population-Based Study of Ulnar Neuropathy at the Elbow in Washington State Workers' Compensation

被引:12
作者
Juratli, Sham Maghout [1 ]
Nayan, Marilyn [3 ]
Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah [2 ]
Robinson, Lawrence R. [4 ]
Franklin, Gary M. [5 ,6 ]
机构
[1] Wayne State Univ, Sch Med, Div Occupat & Environm Med, Detroit, MI USA
[2] Univ Washington, Occupat Epidemiol & Hlth Outcomes Program, Dept Environm & Occupat Hlth Sci, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
[3] Auburn Reg Med Ctr, Occupat Med Clin, Auburn, WA USA
[4] Univ Washington, Dept Rehabil Med, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
[5] Univ Washington, Sch Publ Hlth & Community Med, Dept Environm & Occupat Hlth Sci, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
[6] Washington State Dept Labor & Ind, Olympia, WA 98504 USA
关键词
cubital tunnel syndrome; ulnar neuropathy at the elbow; workers' compensation; population-based; return to work; CUBITAL TUNNEL-SYNDROME; SIMPLE DECOMPRESSION; ANTERIOR TRANSPOSITION; NERVE COMPRESSION; EARLY PREDICTORS; DISABILITY; ELECTRODIAGNOSIS; ASSOCIATION; ENTRAPMENT; TELL;
D O I
10.1002/ajim.20866
中图分类号
R1 [预防医学、卫生学];
学科分类号
1004 ; 120402 ;
摘要
Background There are no population-based studies of return to work after ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). We examine the predictors of return to work following a diagnosis of work-related UNE. Methods Workers diagnosed with work-related UNE between 1995 and 2000 were identified from the administrative records of the Washington State workers' compensation system (n = 2,863). The medical records of 250 randomly selected surgical cases were reviewed. The end of wage replacement, our primary outcome, is a surrogate marker of the potential ability to return to work. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to model duration of wage replacement as a function of select sociodemographic, clinical, electrodiagnostic, and disability predictors. Results The mean wage replacement and medical benefits paid per case were $19,100 and $15,200, respectively. Older age, concomitant carpal tunnel syndrome, receipt of wage replacement benefits prior to diagnosis, and longer diagnostic delays were associated with lower return to work potential after injury. Type of treatment (surgical or conservative care) was not associated with return to work. Among surgically treated workers, receipt of wage replacement before establishing a diagnosis was inversely associated with return to work in multivariate models that included clinical severity and electrodiagnostic criteria. Conclusion Work-related UNE is a common and costly occupational health challenge. Efforts to accurately diagnose UNE and maximize functional recovery should start in the first medical encounter. Older workers, those who have concomitant carpal tunnel syndrome, or who are already receiving wage replacement benefits at the time of diagnosis deserve special attention. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53: 1242-1251, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
引用
收藏
页码:1242 / 1251
页数:10
相关论文
共 38 条
[1]  
*AM ASS EL MED, 1999, PRACT PAR EL STUD UL, pS171
[2]  
American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, 1999, Muscle Nerve Suppl, V8, pS171
[3]  
[Anonymous], SPINE
[4]   DYNAMIC ANATOMY OF ULNAR NERVE AT ELBOW [J].
APFELBERG, DB ;
LARSON, SJ .
PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, 1973, 51 (01) :76-81
[5]   Prospective randomized controlled study comparing simple decompression versus anterior subcutaneous transposition for idiopathic neuropathy of the ulnar nerve at the elbow: Part 1 [J].
Bartels, RHMA ;
Verhagen, WIM ;
van der Wilt, GJ ;
Meulstee, J ;
van Rossum, LGM ;
Grotenhuis, JA .
NEUROSURGERY, 2005, 56 (03) :522-529
[6]   The surgical treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome: A decision analysis [J].
Brauer, C. A. ;
Graham, B. .
JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY-EUROPEAN VOLUME, 2007, 32E (06) :654-662
[7]   Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow: Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging, clinical, electrodiagnostic, and intraoperative findings [J].
Britz, GW ;
Haynor, DR ;
Kuntz, C ;
Goodkin, R ;
Gitter, A ;
Maravilla, K ;
Kliot, M .
NEUROSURGERY, 1996, 38 (03) :458-465
[8]   Ulnar neuropathy and dystonic flexion of the fourth and fifth digits: Clinical correlation in musicians [J].
Charness, ME ;
Ross, MH ;
Shefner, JM .
MUSCLE & NERVE, 1996, 19 (04) :431-437
[9]   Treatment of Ulnar Nerve Compression at the Elbow [J].
Chung, Kevin C. .
JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY-AMERICAN VOLUME, 2008, 33A (09) :1625-1627
[10]   Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome in Washington State workers' compensation: Temporal trends, clinical practices, and disability [J].
Daniell, WE ;
Fulton-Kehoe, D ;
Chiou, LA ;
Franklin, GM .
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, 2005, 48 (04) :259-269