The Effect of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Phenotyping on Response to Treatment

August 4, 2026 updated by: Emrah Afsar, Kutahya Health Sciences University
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) phenotyping on responsiveness to clinical interventions in individuals with CTS.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

People between the ages of 18-65, diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, who are suitable for the Neuropathic pain phenotype and who volunteer to participate in the study will be included. The 7 steps in the Clinical Criteria/Rating System for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) will be applied to patients with CTS. After determining the dominant pain phenotype in patients with CTS, one group will consist of patients with homogeneous neuropathic pain phenotype (Group 1). The heterogeneous group will consist of patients with neuropathic and mixed pain phenotype (both neuropathic and nociplastic pain phenotype) (Group 2). Training, exercise, and wrist splinting will be applied to both groups. The training will include a presentation and booklet on the pathophysiology of CTS, treatment options (conservative treatment and surgery), posture and activity modification principles. Participants will be given a programme of median nerve sliding and tendon sliding exercises as home exercises. The numerical rating scale (NRS) scale will be used for pain assessment. Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire - Symptom Severity Scale, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire - Functional Status Scale, Michigan Hand Results Questionnaire (MHQ) will be used. Normality of data distribution will be assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Fisher's exact test and chi-square test will be used to verify the relationship between categorical variables. A mixed model ANOVA will be performed on 2 (group 1 and group 2) x 3 (time: baseline, week 6 and week 12) different outcome measures (pain intensity, symptom severity, functional status, Michigan Hand Results Questionnaire (MHQ)) to detect between-group differences.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being diagnosed with CTS
  • Being suitable for the neuropathic pain phenotype
  • Being between the ages of 18-65
  • Volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having systemic inflammatory disease
  • Having a disease that may cause polyneuropathy such as diabetes mellitus
  • Having a pacemaker
  • Having a disease affecting the central nervous system
  • Having cervical radiculopathy
  • History of previous operation or local steroid injection due to CTS
  • Hypersensitivity to heat and cold

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Homogeneous Neuropathic Phenotype
Participants assigned to this arm present with a clinically determined, homogeneous neuropathic phenotype. All individuals in this group will receive a standard rehabilitation protocol consisting of patient education, splint application, and a structured exercise program.
Other: Standard Rehabilitation Protocol
A comprehensive standard rehabilitation program consisting of patient education, application of a clinical splint, and a structured exercise.
Active Comparator: Heterogeneous Unclassified Phenotype
Participants assigned to this arm do not have a specifically classified neuropathic phenotype and present with heterogeneous characteristics. All individuals in this group will receive the same standard rehabilitation protocol consisting of patient education, splint application, and a structured exercise program.
Other: Standard Rehabilitation Protocol
A comprehensive standard rehabilitation program consisting of patient education, application of a clinical splint, and a structured exercise.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Numerical Rating Scale
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Patients rate the current pain intensity from 0 ("no pain") to 10 ("worst possible pain").
Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire - Symptom Severity Scale
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire - Symptom Severity Scale is an 11-item questionnaire used to assess symptom severity in individuals with CTS. Each item is scored from 1 to 5. Scores range from 1 (no symptoms) to 5 (worst symptoms). The patient's symptom severity score is the average score of 11 items.
Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire - Functional Status Scale
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire - Functional Status Scale is an 8-item questionnaire used to assess the functional status of patients with CTS. Each item is scored from 1 to 5. Scores range from 1 (no functional deficit) to 5 (worst possible function). The patient's functional status score is the average of all 8 items.
Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ)
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
The Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ) is a hand-specific questionnaire that measures the health status of patients with acute and chronic hand disorders. The MHQ is an outcome tool consisting of 37 questions and 6 domains: (1) overall hand function, (2) activities of daily living, (3) pain, (4) work performance, (5) aesthetics, and (6) patient satisfaction with function. Each domain is scored using an unweighted method by summing the responses on each scale (1 to 5) and normalising the scores to a scale from 0 to 100. A lower score indicates more severe disability, other than pain. The final score is obtained by averaging the six scores after inverting the pain score.
Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cold Pain Threshold
Time Frame: 2 minutes
For cold pain threshold, ice cubes (-5°C) placed in a plastic bag will be placed on the patients' skin for 10 seconds. Increased sensory perception will be considered as gain of function. The intensity of pain will also be recorded on an NRS scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).
2 minutes
Pressure Pain Threshold
Time Frame: 3 minutes
A digital algometer will be used to measure Pressure Pain Threshold levels. Pressure will be applied at a rate of approximately 30 kPa/s with the algometer placed perpendicular to the point of application. Participants will be instructed to report when the sensation changes from pressure to pain. The intensity of pain will also be recorded on an NRS scale ranging from 0 (no pain at all) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).
3 minutes
Mechanical Pain Threshold
Time Frame: 3 minutes
Mechanical pain threshold: to be assessed with a toothpick and a von Frey filament (256 mN). Increased sensory perception will be considered to reflect gain of function. The intensity of pain will also be recorded on an NRS scale ranging from 0 (no pain at all) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).
3 minutes
Dynamic Mechanical Allodynia
Time Frame: 3 minutes
Patients will be touched on the affected area and the control area with a brush, an ear stick and a piece of cotton wool. The assessment tools will be applied 4 times by drawing a cross of 2 strokes (length 5 cm) at an angle of 90˚C in each direction. For each stimulus (brush/ear swab/cotton swab), they will indicate (1) whether the stimulus was perceived as painful (yes/no) and (2) the pain intensity on the NRS-11 (0 no pain, 10 imaginably worse pain).
3 minutes
Hot Pain Threshold
Time Frame: 2 minutes
Thermal pain perception will be tested using a metal piece equal to (lab-QST thermode size). The metal parts will be heated to 45˚C for hot pain threshold. The metal pieces will be applied to the skin for 3 seconds. It will be determined whether the stimulus is painful (yes/no), and if painful, the intensity of the pain on a numerical rating scale (NRS) (0: no pain, 10: imaginably worse pain).
2 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kutahya Health Sciences University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Emrah Afsar, Phd, Kutahya Health Science University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 27, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 27, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 27, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 4, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 4, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Treatment Response in CTS

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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