Assessment of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms and its associated factors among adult women in Syria: a cross-sectional study

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy and is associated with pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and functional limitation. Although women are known to be at higher risk, community-based data on CTS symptoms among Syrian women remain limited. To evaluate the burden of CTS-related symptoms and associated factors among adult women in Syria and to examine their distribution according to sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,113 adult women living in Syria. Data were collected using a hybrid online and in-person convenience sampling approach. An Arabic version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) was used to assess symptom severity and functional limitations. Descriptive statistics, multivariable linear regression, and sensitivity analysis excluding physician-confirmed CTS cases were performed using SPSS version 27. Among participants, 7.5% reported a physician-confirmed diagnosis of CTS. Mean overall symptom severity and functional limitation scores were 15.39 ± 7.64 and 10.50 ± 5.16, respectively, indicating generally mild impairment at the population level. The most prominent symptoms were daytime pain duration and frequency, nocturnal pain, and nocturnal numbness/tingling. Increasing age, higher body mass index, and repetitive hand or wrist movements were independently associated with greater symptom severity and functional limitation. These findings remained largely consistent in sensitivity analysis. CTS-related symptoms were present among Syrian women, even if the functional impairment is mild. Older age, higher BMI, and repetitive hand use appear to be the main factors associated with worse symptoms, highlighting the importance of early recognition and preventive strategies in this population.