Electrodiagnostic evaluation of median nerve conduction in Type II diabetes mellitus patients that were asymptomatic for peripheral neuropathy: a case control study

Background: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a potentially debilitating complication of diabetes mellitus but many of the diabetic patients are often asymptomatic of DN, thereby, placing them at high risk of developing debilitating complications like diabetic hand and foot.Aim: The study was designed to evaluate median nerve conduction of T2DM patients that were asymptomatic for neuropathy and compare their findings with age and sex-matched healthy individuals.Methods: The median motor and sensory nerve conduction study was conducted on 100 type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients and 100 healthy volunteers, matched for age and sex-matched control. Median nerve motor and sensory proximal and Distal latency (DL), Amplitude and Conduction Velocity (CV) as well as motor f-reponse were measured using Nihoen Kohden EMG Machine and standardized techniques of measurement in the course of the study were adhered to.Results: On comparison of the median nerve motor and sensory parameters, the median nerve (motor and sensory) distal latencies and f-responses were significantly lower in the control group while the median nerve conduction velocities and amplitudes were significantly higher in the T2DM group. Conclusion: The study showed significant impairment of median nerve conduction parameters in T2DM patients who did not have any feature suggestive of peripheral neuropathy when compared with apparently healthy individuals. Thus high index of suspicion as well as early screening for peripheral neuropathy in diabetes is further emphasized.Keywords: Median nerve, diabetic neuropathy, electrodiagnostic evaluation, conduction velocity, latenc

Median Nerve Conduction in Healthy Nigerians: Normative Data

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.Keywords: Median nerve, Nerve conduction studies, Normal value