Volume 25, Issue 4 pp. 401-412
RESEARCH REPORT

Comorbidities, anthropometric, demographic, and lifestyle risk factors for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow: A case control study

Mauro Mondelli

Corresponding Author

Mauro Mondelli

EMG Service, Local Health Unit Toscana Sud Est, Siena, Italy

Correspondence

Dr Mauro Mondelli, MD, EMG Service, Local Health Unit Toscana Sud Est, Via Pian d'Ovile, 9, Siena 53100, Italy.

Email: [email protected]

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Stefano Mattioli

Stefano Mattioli

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

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Claudia Vinciguerra

Claudia Vinciguerra

EMG Service, Local Health Unit Toscana Sud Est, Siena, Italy

Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

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Palma Ciaramitaro

Palma Ciaramitaro

Clinical Neurophysiology, CTO, Department of Neuroscience, AOU “Città della Salute e della Scienza”, Torino, Italy

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Alessandro Aretini

Alessandro Aretini

EMG Service, Local Health Unit Toscana Sud Est, Siena, Italy

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Giuseppe Greco

Giuseppe Greco

EMG Service, Local Health Unit Toscana Sud Est, “Nottola” Hospital, Montepulciano, Siena, Italy

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Francesco Sicurelli

Francesco Sicurelli

Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

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Stefano Giorgi

Stefano Giorgi

Clinical Neurophysiology, CTO, Department of Neuroscience, AOU “Città della Salute e della Scienza”, Torino, Italy

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Stefania Curti

Stefania Curti

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

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First published: 02 November 2020
Citations: 7

Abstract

We performed a prospective multicenter case-control study to explore the association between ulnar neuropathy at elbow (UNE) and body and elbow anthropometric measures, demographic and lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Cases and controls were consecutively enrolled among subjects admitted to four electromyography labs. UNE diagnosis was made on clinical and neurographic findings. The control group included all other subjects without signs/symptoms of ulnar neuropathy and with normal ulnar nerve neurography. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, waist, hip circumferences, and external measures of elbow using a caliper. The participants filled in a self-administered questionnaire on personal characteristics, lifestyle factors, and medical history. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by fitting unconditional logistic regression models adjusted by center and education level. We enrolled 220 cases (males 61.8%; mean age 51.7 years) and 460 controls (47.4% males; mean age 47.8 years). At multivariable analysis, UNE was associated to male gender (OR = 2.4, 95%CI = 1.6-3.7), smoking habits (>25 pack-years (OR = 2.3, 95%CI = 1.3-4.1), body mass index (OR = 1.05, 95%CI 1.01-1.10), polyneuropathies (OR = 4.1, 95%CI 1.5-11.5), and leaning with flexed elbow on a table/desk (OR = 1.5, 95%CI 1.0-2.2). Cubital groove width (CGW) turned out to be negatively associated with UNE (OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.74-0.85). Our study suggests that some personal factors especially anthropometric measures of the elbow may play a role in UNE pathogenesis as the measures of wrist in CTS. We demonstrated that for each millimeter of smaller CGW the risk of idiopathic UNE increases of 25%.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

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