FRIDAY, July 14, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is associated with an increased incidence of new-onset heart failure, according to a research letter published online July 12 in JAMA Network Open.

Mark Luedde, M.D., from the University of Kiel in Germany, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study involving adult patients from 1,284 general practices in Germany with an initial diagnosis of CTS to examine the association with heart failure. The cohort included 81,898 patients with CTS, who were propensity score-matched to 81,898 without CTS.

The researchers found that 10 years after the index date, 8.4 and 6.2 percent of patients with and those without CTS, respectively, received a diagnosis of heart failure (incidence, 8.7 versus 6.1 cases per 1,000 patient-years). In a regression analysis, a significant association was seen between CTS and subsequent heart failure diagnosis (hazard ratio, 1.39). The association was comparable for women and men (hazard ratios, 1.40 and 1.38, respectively). CTS was significantly associated with heart failure among patients aged 61 to 70 years and older than 70 years (hazard ratios, 1.48 and 1.48, respectively), but not among those aged 18 to 40, 41 to 50, or 51 to 60 years.

“Our study reveals an association between CTS and heart failure,” the authors write. “Thus, we point to a new role for surgeons together with general practitioners in the early detection of important internal diseases, a chance for better treatment, and an improved prognosis of these diseases.”

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