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Normative reference values for the dorsal sural nerve derived from a large multicenter cohort.
Thomas Krøigård1,2, Sandra S Gylfadottir3,4, Mustapha Itani1,2
1Research Unit for Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Clinical Neurophysiology Practice
|October 4, 2021
Summary
This study establishes reliable reference values for dorsal sural nerve conduction studies (NCS) in healthy adults. These findings enhance the sensitivity of NCS for diagnosing polyneuropathy.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurophysiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Dorsal sural nerve conduction studies (NCS) show promise for improving polyneuropathy diagnosis.
- Current clinical use is hindered by a lack of comprehensive normative data across age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reliable normative reference values for dorsal sural nerve NCS.
- To provide a foundation for enhanced diagnostic sensitivity in polyneuropathy detection.
Main Methods:
- Bilateral antidromic NCS were conducted on 229 healthy subjects aged 21-80 years.
- Data normality was assessed, and the influence of age and height on amplitude and conduction velocity (CV) was analyzed using linear regression.
- Standard surface electrodes were utilized.
Main Results:
- Sensory potentials were consistently detected in all participants.
- Logarithmically transformed data demonstrated normal distribution.
- Age and height significantly influenced both amplitude and CV, with no significant side differences observed. Mean amplitude was approximately 4.8-4.9 μV, and mean CV was 46.7-46.9 m/s.
Conclusions:
- Dorsal sural nerve NCS are robust and possess well-defined normative limits.
- The established reference values will facilitate more sensitive NCS in clinical practice and future diagnostic accuracy studies for polyneuropathy.
