Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the three study groups at T 0 (three months before scheduled surgery).
| Variable | Group A (n = 60), no treatment | Group B (n = 60), supplementation 3 months before and 3 months after surgery |
Group C (n = 60), supplementation 3 months before surgery only |
P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 60.1 ± 12.6 | 58.7 ± 14.1 | 55.0 ± 17.2 | 0.14 |
| Male sex, (n) | 12 (20%) | 15 (25%) | 17 (28.3%) | 0.56 |
| Hyperalgesia | 2.57 ± 1.18 | 2.88 ± 1.41 | 2.58 ± 1.29 | 0.34 |
| Paresthesia | 3.12 ± 1.01 | 3.41 ± 1.30 | 3.12 ± 1.27 | 0.32 |
| Nocturnal symptoms | 3.52 ± 0.95 | 3.97 ± 0.95 | 3.55 ± 1.14 | <0.05 |
| Limitations to everyday life |
2.17 ± 1.10 | 2.41 ± 1.22 | 1.72 ± 1.05 | <0.01 |
| Positive Tinel's test, (n) | 60 (100%) | 58 (96.6%) | 57 (95%) | 0.21 |
| Positive Phalen's test, (n) |
56 (93.3%) | 51 (85%) | 53 (88.3%) | 0.34 |
Hyperalgesia, paresthesia, nocturnal symptoms, and limitations to everyday life were rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (minimum) to 5 (maximum). Data are expressed as counts and percentages or means and standard deviations, as appropriate. Statistically significant differences across the study groups are marked in bold.