Study on Normal Nerve Conduction Parameters

신경전도검사의 정상치에 관한 연구

Background and Aims : Nerve conduction study is invaluable in clinical neurology, especially for assessing peripheral neuropathies. Abnormal nerve conduction studies may result not only from peripheral nerve dysfunction itself, but also from other various mechanical, technical, and physiological factors such as age, sex, height and temperature. So we conducted this study to establish the our own normal values. Methods : In this study, from March. 1997 to July. 1998, 40 Korean adults among person came to Health Promotion Center over the age of 20 without any suspicion of neurological deficits were analysed to determine the effect of compound effects of several physiological factors. Results : The nerve conduction velocities of the upper extremity and proximal segments were faster than those of the lower extremity and distal segments. Physiological factors such as age, height and temperature affect the results of nerve conduction studies in multiple regression analysis. The sex difference is recognized over peroneal motor nerve. There are no sex differences in amplitude transformed into normal distribution. The significant physiological factor affecting the amplitude of nerve conduction is age, whereas height and temperature play no role. Conclusions : In multiple regression analysis, height is widespread variable for the nerve conduction velocities and temperature is important variable for lower extremities. The parametric statistical analysis cannot be applied to the amplitude of the compound muscle or nerve action potentials because of marked left shift in distribution. Sqareroot transformation of the CMAP and CNAP may be useful in normalizing the distribution. The most significant physiological factor affection the amplitude is age. Sex differences are not seen in nerve conduction study.