Reference values of upper extremity nerve conduction studies in a Colombian population

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Electrophysiology

Background:

• Establishing normative data for nerve conduction studies (NCS) is crucial for accurate neurological diagnosis.
• Previous reference values may not be representative of diverse populations, including South Americans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine reference values for upper extremity NCS in a Colombian population.
• To provide a basis for diagnosing peripheral nerve conditions in South America.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 222 healthy volunteers for NCS.
• Measured latencies, amplitudes, and conduction velocities of Median, Ulnar, and Radial nerves.
• Utilized American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) guidelines for data analysis and percentile derivation.

Main Results:

• Established sensory and motor nerve conduction parameter ranges (latency, amplitude, velocity) for Median, Ulnar, and Radial nerves.
• Derived 3rd and 97th percentiles for each electrophysiological parameter.
• Reported specific numerical ranges for key NCS metrics.

Conclusions:

• Colombian upper extremity nerve conduction values are comparable to those in similar populations.
• This study provides the first AANEM-compliant reference values for NCS in a South American cohort.
• These findings support the accurate clinical interpretation of NCS in the region.