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.