Comparison of Initial Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Related to Rheumatic Diseases: Corticosteroid Injection Versus Nighttime Splinting

Launched by YUN QIAN · Jun 25, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying two common treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in people who also have rheumatic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis. The goal is to see which treatment—either a corticosteroid injection or wearing a wrist splint at night—works better to improve wrist movement, sleep quality, and overall well-being. People with CTS symptoms lasting at least six weeks, diagnosed by a specialist, and who haven’t yet treated their worst-affected wrist during this episode may be eligible to participate.

If you join the study, you will be randomly placed into one of two groups. One group will wear a special splint at night for six weeks to keep the wrist in a neutral position, which can help reduce pressure on the nerves. The other group will receive a single corticosteroid injection, which is a type of medicine that helps reduce inflammation and pain. Researchers will check on your progress at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after starting treatment to see how your wrist is working, how well you’re sleeping, and how your quality of life is affected. This study is not yet recruiting, and it is open to adults 18 years and older with CTS related to rheumatic diseases, but it excludes people planning wrist surgery soon, those who have had recent injections or certain therapies, or who are pregnant.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Patients aged no less than 18 years old with unilateral or bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed by a specialist according to the Katz diagnostic criteria, and with at least one associated rheumatic disease;
• • 2. Patients have had symptoms of CTS for at least six weeks, and the side with more severe symptoms is designated as the target side for the study.
• • 3. During the current episode, the target side has not been treated.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Patients who have plan for surgical treatment on his or her CTS within the following 6 months;
• • 2. Received corticosteroid injections in the wrist within the past 6 months;
• • 3. Patients who are unable to wear a splint due to trauma or other reasons;
• • 4. Patients with clinical manifestations or electrophysiological changes indicative of significant axonal loss or denervation, including thenar muscle atrophy, sensory loss (two-point discrimination greater than 8 mm), absence of SNAP (sensory nerve action potential), absence of CMAP (compound muscle action potential) in the thenar muscles, etc.;
• • 5. Patients who require long-term use of any form of opioids.
• • 6. Patients who have used opioids (e.g., tramadol) or neuropathic pain medications (gabapentin, pregabalin, etc.) within the past 2 weeks;
• • 7. Patients who have received non-recommended wrist injection treatments (e.g., 5% glucose, platelet-rich plasma, ozone, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, etc.) within the past 6 months;
• • 8. Patients who have undergone non-recommended physical therapies (e.g., electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, laser therapy, etc.) within the past 6 months;
• • 9. Patients who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant within the next 6 months.