Reference values for jitter recorded by concentric needle electrodes in healthy controls: A multicenter study.

Area of Science:

• Neurophysiology
• Electromyography
• Neuromuscular diagnostics

Background:

• Accurate reference values are crucial for interpreting jitter measurements in clinical neurophysiology.
• Existing jitter values may not reflect current standards or diverse populations.
• Concentric needle electrodes are widely used for jitter analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reliable reference values for jitter.
• To utilize data from concentric needle electrode recordings.
• To define jitter values for specific muscles (orbicularis oculi, frontalis, extensor digitorum) under voluntary and electrical stimulation.

Main Methods:

• Recordings were collected globally from healthy subjects for orbicularis oculi (OO), frontalis (FR), and extensor digitorum (ED) muscles.
• Strict criteria for signal quality were enforced.
• Data from 59-92 subjects per muscle/activation type were analyzed to determine outlier limits for jitter.

Main Results:

• Specific outlier limits for mean consecutive difference and individual jitter were determined for voluntary and electrical stimulation.
• Values varied by muscle and activation type, with ranges provided (e.g., OO voluntary: 31-45 µs; OO electrical stimulation: 27-36 µs).
• Data were derived from high-quality recordings to ensure reliability.

Conclusions:

• Reference jitter values were successfully developed using concentric needle electrode recordings.
• The established values are based on defined signal quality.
• The study aimed to avoid supernormal values, providing a more accurate diagnostic baseline.