Median Nerve Conduction in Healthy Nigerians: Normative Data.

Abstract

Background: Because of lack of local normative data, electrodiagnostic laboratories in Nigeria apply standard values generated in the USA and Europe to diagnose different median nerve abnormalities.

Aim: To develop normative values for motor and sensory median nerve conduction studies (NCSs) in Nigerian population.

Subjects and methods: In a cross-sectional study design, a total of 200 healthy volunteers were selected after clinical evaluation to exclude systemic or neuromuscular disorders. NCS of the median nerves was conducted on all the healthy volunteers according to a standardized protocol. The data included in the final analysis were amplitude, latency, and nerve conduction velocity. Ethical approval was obtained for the study.

Results: The reference range for median nerve (motor) velocity, distal latency, and amplitude were 49.48-66.92, 1.95-4.52, and 4.3-11.3, respectively. The reference range for median nerve F-wave latency was 44.8-70.5. The reference range for median nerve (sensory) velocity, distal latency, and amplitude were 44.8-70.5, 1.98-4.52, and 16.6-58.4, respectively.

Conclusion: Reference values for the nerve conduction parameters of the median (motor and sensory) in the study population were similar to those obtained in the literature.