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Table 2 Etiopathological factors in order of decreasing frequency

From: Work related etiology of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis: a case-control study with prospectively collected data

Variables Cases n ( %) Controls n ( %) OR (95 % CI)k p - value
Professional groups n = 58e n = 52e   0.43a
semi-skilled worker 21/58 (36) 12/52 (23)   
training occupation 22/58 (38) 27/52 (52)   
technical occupation 6/58 (10) 5/52 (10)   
academic profession 9/58 (16) 8/52 (15)   
Occupational group n = 77d n = 65d   0.23a
manual labor 14/77 (18) 17/65 (26)   
administrative work 34/77 (44) 20/65 (31)   
neither manual labor nor administrative work 29/77 (38) 28/65 (43)   
Occupational hierarchy according to Goldthorp n = 58e n = 52e   
I 13/58 (22) 9/52 (17) I – IV vs. V – VII 0.95a
0.7 (0.3 – 1.6)
II 13/58 (22) 11/52 (21)   
III 9/58 (16) 7/52 (13)   
IV 6/58 (10) 4/52 (8)   
V 5/58 (9) 6/52 (12)   
VI 6/58 (10) 7/52 (13)   
VII 6/58 (10) 8/52 (15)   
Working time n = 58e n = 52e   
average working hours per week, in hours (range) 34 (7–60) 38 (10–55)   0.05c
Piecework n = 58f n = 52f   
daily 4/58 (7) 3/52 (6) Yes vs. never 0.76b
1.6 (0.5 – 5.5)
3/4 of the time 1/58 (2) -   
1/2 of the time 1/58 (2) 3/52 (6)   
1/4 of the time 2/58 (3) 1/52 (2)   
never 50/58 (86) 45/52 (87)   
Work with computer n = 58f n = 47f   
daily 17/58 (29) 15/47 (32) Yes vs. never 0.99b
1.5 (0.6 – 3.7)
3/4 of the time 2/58 (3) 2/47 (4)   
1/2 of the time 4/58 (7) 2/47 (4)   
1/4 of the time 12/58 (21) 9/47 (19)   
never 23/58 (40) 19/47 (40)   
Twisting motions at work n = 58f n = 52f   
every hour 11/58 (19) 11/52 (21) Every hour/daily vs. 2–3× per week/ 0.31b
1× per week/never
1.2 (0.6 – 2.8)
daily 14/58 (24) 15/52 (29)   
2–3× per week 5/58 (9) -   
1× per week 4/58 (7) 3/52 (6)   
never 24/58 (41) 23/52 (44)   
Powerful motions of the forearm or hand n = 58f n = 47f   
every hour 14/58 (24) 8/47 (17) Every hour/daily vs. 2–3× per week/ 0.06b
1× per week/never
1.0 (0.4 – 2.3)
daily 10/58 (17) 15/47 (32)   
2–3× per week 4/58 (7) 2/47 (4)   
1× per week 2/58 (3) 7/47 (15)   
never 28/58 (48) 15/47 (32)   
Pulling or pushing of loads n = 58f n = 47f   
every hour 3/58 (5) 5/47 (11) Every hour/daily vs. 2–3× per week/ 0.04b
1× per week/never
0.6 (0.3 – 1.5)
daily 8/58 (14) 12/47 (26)   
2–3× per week 3/58 (5) -   
1× per week 11/58 (19) 2/47 (4)   
never 33/58 (57) 28/47 (60)   
Ergonomically stressful work n = 58f n = 52f   
every hour 7/58 (12) 9/52 (17) Every hour/daily vs. 2–3× per week/ 0.42a
1× per week/never
0.7 (0.3 – 1.5)
daily 10/58 (17) 15/52 (29)   
2–3× per week 4/58 (7) 3/52 (6)   
1× per week 6/58 (10) 6/52 (12)   
never 31/58 (53) 19/52 (37)   
Musical instrument n = 77h n = 65h   
current 4/77 (5) 7/65 (11) 0.6 (0.1–2.3) 0.35b
former & never 73/77 (95) 58/65 (89)   
High impact sports i n = 77h n = 65h   
current 39/77 (51) 23/65 (35) 1.8 (0.9–3.7) 0.06b
former & never 38/77 (49) 42/65 (65)   
Rheumatoid arthritis     
suspicion of rheumatoid arthritis j 0/77 (0) 1/65 (2) - 0.46b
morning stiffness > 1 h 4/77 (5) 14/65 (20) 0.8 (0.1–5.1) 0.01b
arthritis of 3 or more joint areas 3/77 (4) 7/65 (11) 0.4 (0.1–1.6) 0.2b
symmetric arthritis 0/77 (0) 3/65 (4) - 0.1b
Trauma (<2 years before dQ) 2/77 (3) 0/65 (0) - 0.5b
Working time at computer n = 28h n = 30h   
Computer use in hours per week 19 (1–40) 16 (1–54)   0.24c
Keyboard n = 28h n = 30h   
ergonomic 2/28 (7) 1/30 (3) Laptop vs. PC (normal/ergonomic) 0.88b
0.9 (0.2 – 6.6)
normal 23/28 (82) 25/30 (83)   
Laptop 3/28 (11) 4/30 (13)   
Mouse n = 28h n = 30h   
normal 24/28 (86) 26/30 (87) Touchpad vs. PC-mouse (normal/ergonomic) 0.87b
0.9 (0.1 – 6.4)
ergonomic 2/28 (7) 1/30 (3)   
Touchpad 2/28 (7) 3/30 (10)   
  1. Two patients with dQ and four controls who changed their job after diagnosis were not taken into account in the characterization of professional activity. The professional training of all patients was evaluated, regardless of whether they were working at the time of the diagnosis or not
  2. aChi2-Tests
  3. bFisher’s exact test
  4. cMann-Whitney u test
  5. dTotal number of patients in whom the item is applicable
  6. eTotal number of patients working at the time of diagnosis
  7. fTotal number of patients in whom the professional activity includes this kind of work
  8. gNumber of patients, which are doing or have done this kind of activity
  9. hRestricted to sports that require repetitive and strenuous forearm and wrist movements
  10. i Patients with at least 3 of the symptoms below
  11. jAdjusted for age (≤50 vs. >50) and gender
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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

ISSN: 1471-2474

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