Summary of findings for the main comparison. Ergonomic keyboard compared with placebo for carpal tunnel syndrome.
| Ergonomic keyboard compared with placebo for carpal tunnel syndrome | ||||||
| Patient or population: people with carpal tunnel syndrome Settings: Intervention: ergonomic keyboard Comparison: placebo | ||||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | No of Participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | |||||
| Placebo | Ergonomic keyboard | |||||
| Short‐term overall improvement ‐ not measured | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | ‐ | See comment | This clinically important outcome was not measured in any of the included studies |
| Adverse effects ‐ not measured | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | ‐ | See comment | This clinically important outcome was not measured in any of the included studies |
|
Short‐term improvement in CTS symptoms (pain) (3 months or less) ‐ At end of 12 weeks treatment (Protouch Keyboard) Scale: 0 to 10 |
The mean improvement in CTS symptoms (pain) at the end of 12 weeks treatment (Protouch Keyboard) in the control group was 4.3 | The mean improvement in CTS symptoms (pain) at the end of 12 weeks treatment (Protouch Keyboard) in the intervention group was 2.4 lower (4.45 to 0.35 lower) compared with placebo | 20 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ very low1,2,3 | ||
|
Short‐term improvement in functional ability (3 months or less) (Protouch Keyboard) Scale: 13 to 65 |
The mean improvement in functional ability at the end of 12 weeks treatment (Protouch Keyboard) in the intervention group was 30.4 | The mean improvement in functional ability at the end of 12 weeks treatment (Protouch Keyboard) in the intervention group was 2.2 lower (11.57 lower to 7.17 higher) | 20 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ very low1,2,3 | ||
|
Long‐term improvement in CTS symptoms (pain ) from baseline to end of 6 months treatment (Apple Adjustable Keyboard) Scale: 0 to 10 |
The mean improvement in CTS symptoms (pain) from baseline to the end of 6 months treatment in the Apple Adjustable Keyboard was ‐0.29 |
The mean improvement in CTS symptoms (pain) from baseline to the end of 6 months treatment in the Apple Adjustable Keyboard was 0.70 lower (‐0.97 higher to 2.37 lower) |
‐ | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ very low1 | ||
| Long‐term improvement in functional ability (> 3 months) ‐ not measured | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | ‐ | See comment | This clinically important outcome was not measured in any of the included studies |
| *The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: confidence interval; RR: risk ratio; CTS: carpal tunnel syndrome; SD: standard deviation | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate. | ||||||
1 Allocation concealment was unclear. 2 Confidence intervals were relatively wide given the small sample.
3 Only one study with small sample (indirectness).