Normative Value of F-wave Minimum Latency in a Tertiary Care Center In Eastern India.

Abstract

Background: F-wave normative values may be country- or geographic locality-specific, as shown in various studies. Hence, using the same cut-off value in all laboratories leads to errors. This study attempts to determine the normative value of the F-wave in eastern India.

Objective: This study aims to find normative data on F-wave minimum latency in a healthy population in Eastern India and to check the correlation of F-wave minimum latency with height, age, and sex.

Methods: Healthy volunteers aged 18-45 participated in the nerve conduction study to determine F-wave minimum latency in the bilateral median, ulnar, and tibial nerves. The height of the volunteers was recorded. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Results: A total of 150 healthy volunteers participated (70 females, 80 males). The mean age of the study population was 30.7 ± 8.4 years. The mean height of the participants was 160.5 ± 9.0 cm. The mean values of F-wave minimum latencies are as follows: 24.85 ± 1.87 msec for the median nerve, 25.1 ± 2.01 msec for the ulnar nerve, and 45.56 ± 3.74 msec for the tibial nerve. The most significant effect on latency was by height.

Conclusions: The cut-off value for F-wave minimal latency may be kept as follows: right median nerve: 28.57 msec, left median nerve: 28.58 msec, left ulnar nerve: 29.24 msec, right ulnar nerve: 29.01 msec, left tibial nerve: 53.21 msec, and right tibial nerve: 52.85 msec.