Normative Data of Nerve Conduction Studies in the Upper Limb in Kuwait: Are They Different from the Western Data?

Abstract

Objective: To establish the normal electrophysiological data for the median, ulnar and radial nerves and to compare our results with the Western data published in the literature. Methods: Nerve conduction studies were performed prospectively in the upper limbs of 50 carefully screened healthy individuals between the ages of 16 and 56 years using standardized technique. Results: The median motor distal latency (DL) was 3.1 (0.3) ms, amplitude 11.01 (2.8) mV, conduction velocity (CV) 56.5 (3.5) m/s. The ulnar motor studies gave DL of 2.4 (0.3) ms, amplitude 9.2 (2.2) mV, CV 60.4 (5.0) m/s. Sensory studies for the median nerve were: DL of 2.3 (0.3) ms, amplitude 63.3 (18.9) µV for men and 79.3 (28.8) µV for women and CV 56.6 (7.6) m/s. For the ulnar nerve (DL) 2.0 (0.23) ms, amplitude 54.5 (18.4) µV for men and 63.9 (16.8) µV for women and CV 51.7 (5.3) m/s. The radial sensory studies were DL 1.95 (0.3) ms, amplitude 18.7 (5.5) µV and CV 52.3 ms. Only gender showed a statistically significant effect on the sensory nerve action potential for the median (p = 0.04) and ulnar nerves (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Normative conduction parameters of commonly tested nerves in the upper limb were established in our EMG lab in Kuwait. The mean motor nerve conduction parameters for the median and ulnar nerves compare favourably with the existing literature data. However, for the sensory nerves, higher value for the nerve action potential amplitude was demonstrated in the study. Gender was shown to have a significant effect on the sensory amplitude of the median and ulnar nerves.