Risk factors associated with ulnar nerve compression in bedridden patients

This study was undertaken to determine the incidence of ulnar nerve compression in patients on bedrest and to determine which historical risk factors and assessment measures were most predictive of ulnar nerve compression. Thirty subjects were chosen from the orthopedic, neurological/neurosurgical, and rehabilitation units of two teaching hospitals. The incidence of ulnar nerve compression in this population was 23 percent (seven cases). The overall incidence of compression was then compared with the incidence of subjects having certain risk factors. A combination of two risk factors in subjects carried a greater relative risk of ulnar nerve compression than the presence of single risk factors alone. Using multiple regression analysis, the best multivariate model consisted of four variables which explained 72.8 percent of the variance in ulnar nerve compression. The findings suggest the use of an elbow flexion test and simple questioning as a method for screening patients at higher risk of ulnar nerve compression.