Background and objective: In the dialysis patients, β2-microglobulin is deposited on the periarticular structures because of insufficient excretion of the amyloid particles, leading into complications like carpal tunnel syndrome. Various studies have confirmed the existing relationship between the carpal tunnel syndrome and the serum levels of β2-microglobulin and years of the dialysis. However, most of these studies have not investigated the relationship between the duration and the number of dialyses per week. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate this effect in the dialysis patients referred to dialysis center of Kashan in 2019.

Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 patients undergoing hemodialysis through fistula and low flux membrane for 10 years 5cc of fasting venous blood samples was taken from the patients to measure the β2-microglobulin by using the ELISA method (normal level below 2 micrograms per liter). The carpal tunnel syndrome was diagnosed according to the EMG-NCV of the patients under the supervision of a neurologist. Mann Whitney test was used for the analysis of the data.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 59.93 ± 13.52 years and the mean plasma level of β2-microglobulin was 50.27 ± 6.94mg/lit. A total of 44 subjects (73.3%) had the carpal tunnel syndrome. In these patients, there was not a significant relationship between the carpal tunnel syndrome and the variables related to the dialysis patients (age, number of sessions, and the duration of dialysis per week) (P-value > 0.05). In the patients dialyzed 3 sessions (12 hours) per week, there was a significant relationship between the increased b2-microglobulin plasma level and the carpal tunnel syndrome (P-value < 0.05).

Conclusion: The carpal tunnel syndrome was associated with high plasma levels of β2-microglobulin, but it was not associated with the age and the number of dialysis sessions (hours) per week.

hemodialysis, β2-microglobulin, carpal tunnel syndrome.