US EPA

2075567 

Journal Article 

Tobacco, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in American Industry. A Cross-Sectional Study of 1464 Workers 

Nathan, PA; Keniston, RC; Lockwood, RS; Meadows, KD 

1996 

Yes 

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
ISSN: 1076-2752
EISSN: 1536-5948 

NIOSH/00230797 

38 

3 

290-296 

The use of legal drugs (tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol) was investigated in 656 industrial workers and 808 workers referred for upper extremity symptoms who were tested for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The industrial workers (nonclaimant) were primarily from an aluminum reduction factory, a cable factory, a creamery, a state university, and a steel mill. Subjects were surveyed regarding past and current use of cigarettes or other tobacco products, daily consumption of caffeine, alcohol use, and alcohol abuse. Nerve conduction measurements were performed on both hands for all but five subjects. Subjects with symptoms, but without abnormal nerve conduction studies were identified as having probable CTS. Subjects with symptoms confirmed by nerve conduction studies were identified as having definite CTS. Workers with definite CTS had a 26% greater use of tobacco, 19% greater lifetime use of tobacco, 5% greater use of caffeine, 14% lesser current use of alcohol, and 75% greater history of alcohol abuse than workers without definite CTS. Workers currently using caffeine alone or caffeine plus tobacco were at the highest risk for definite CTS. Current smoking, current caffeine use and current coffee consumption independently predicted 5.0% of the explainable risk for definite CTS in women, while history of alcohol abuse and current beer consumption independently predicted 3.0% of the explainable risk for definite CTS in men. The authors conclude that the use of tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol have an effect on the median nerve and the prevalence of CTS; however, these explain only a small portion of the total risk.