据报告，在美国，腕管综合征的年发病率为3.5‰，患病率约为发病率的10倍，即3.7％。[1]Nordstrom DL, DeStefano F, Vierkant RA, et al. Incidence of diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome in a general population. Epidemiology. 1998;9:342-345.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9583428?tool=bestpractice.com[2]Papanicolaou GD, McCabe SJ, Firrell J. The prevalence and characteristics of nerve compression symptoms in the general population. J Hand Surg [Am]. 2001;26:460-466.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11418908?tool=bestpractice.com在其他发达国家，白人发病率较高，发病率和患病率数据与美国类似。[3]de Krom MC, Knipschild PG, Kester AD, et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome: prevalence in the general population. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992;45:373-376.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1569433?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Atroshi I, Gummesson C, Johnsson R, et al. Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in a general population. JAMA. 1999;282:153-158.http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/282/2/153http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10411196?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Ferry S, Pritchard T, Keenan J, et al. Estimating the prevalence of delayed median nerve conduction in the general population. Br J Rheumatol. 1998;37:630-635.http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/37/6/630http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9667616?tool=bestpractice.com[6]Bongers FJ, Schellevis FG, van den Bosch WJ, et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome in general practice (1987 and 2001): incidence and the role of occupational and non-occupational factors. Br J Gen Pract. 2007;57:36-39.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2032698/?tool=pubmedhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17244422?tool=bestpractice.com在发展中国家和其他种族中，腕管综合征 (CTS) 似乎更为罕见。例如，在南非，白人的腕管综合征发病率类似于欧洲，而南非黑人的腕管综合征几乎闻所未闻。[7]Goga IE. Carpal tunnel syndrome in black South Africans. J Hand Surg [Br]. 1990;15:96-99.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2307891?tool=bestpractice.com[8]Tanaka S, Wild DK, Seligman PJ, et al. Prevalence and work-relatedness of self-reported carpal tunnel syndrome among U.S. workers: analysis of the Occupational Health Supplement data of 1988 National Health Interview Survey. Am J Ind Med. 1995;27:451-470.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7793419?tool=bestpractice.com最近几十年，腕管综合征的发病率出现了大幅上升，但这种上升是否仅仅是因为人们对其认识的增加，或是因为危险因素的增多，还充满争议。[9]Stevens JC, Sun S, Beard CM, et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome in Rochester, Minnesota, 1961 to 1980. Neurology. 1988;38:134-138.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3336444?tool=bestpractice.com女性腕管综合征的发病率至少比男性发病率高出3倍。[6]Bongers FJ, Schellevis FG, van den Bosch WJ, et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome in general practice (1987 and 2001): incidence and the role of occupational and non-occupational factors. Br J Gen Pract. 2007;57:36-39.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2032698/?tool=pubmedhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17244422?tool=bestpractice.com[9]Stevens JC, Sun S, Beard CM, et al. Carpal tunnel syndrome in Rochester, Minnesota, 1961 to 1980. Neurology. 1988;38:134-138.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3336444?tool=bestpractice.com
