Musculoskeletal disorders following hysterectomy with ovarian conservation: a population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk of developing de novo carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), arthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis in women who underwent hysterectomy with bilateral ovarian conservation (H-OC) before reaching spontaneous menopause. METHODS: We identified 1,573 women undergoing H-OC for a benign indication at age 18 to 44 years between 1980 and 2002 in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Each woman was age-matched (±1 y) to a referent woman who had not undergone hysterectomy or oophorectomy before the matching date (index date). Diagnostic codes for CTS and arthritis were extracted from the Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records-linkage system through 2019. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models and the two cohorts were balanced for 19 chronic conditions and for several potential confounders present at index date. RESULTS: Over a median 25.8-year follow-up, women undergoing H-OC had an increased risk of developing CTS (HR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.13-1.56) compared with referent women. The risk was similar in strata by age at H-OC and was higher for women with endometriosis and menstrual disorders indications. Women undergoing H-OC also had an increased risk of developing arthritis (HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.23-1.47). The risk was similar in strata by age at H-OC and by indication. Rheumatoid arthritis considered separately was also associated with H-OC (HR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.05-2.30). CONCLUSIONS: H-OC was associated with an increased risk of de novo CTS, arthritis (all types), and rheumatoid arthritis. Further studies are needed to confirm these associations and to explore potential biological mechanisms.