Duloxetine in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Study

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common neuropathies in the upper extremity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of duloxetine in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.
This pilot study was done as a clinical trial on 24 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome in two groups of duloxetine and control. Patients in both group received routine treatment during study period. In week 3, patients in duloxetine group received duloxetine capsules for one month. Pain score, symptom severity scale (SSS), functional status scale (FSS), and carpal tunnel syndrome severity score and adverse effects as the main study outcomes were measures and compared at baseline, end of week 6, and end of week 12.
Findings: The mean pain score at the end of weeks 6 and 12 was significantly lower in duloxetine group compared to control group (P 0.050). Decreasing trend of functional status scale in control patients was higher than duloxetine group during study period (P = 0.028). At the end of week 12, functional status scale in control was lower than duloxetine group (P = 0.010). At the end of study, the carpal tunnel syndrome severity score was significantly lower in duloxetine group compared to control group (P = 0.012).
Adding duloxetine to routine treatment in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome can be effective to decrease pain severity, and improve patient’s function; although, more investigations are necessary due to small sample size of the present study.