title: F-wave analysis in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
abstract: The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) provides a model for analyzing the effects of focal nerve injury on F-waves. Twenty-four patients with clinical and electrodiagnostic features for unilateral (5) or bilateral CTS (19) were studied. F-waves were evaluated following 20 supramaximal stimuli and recording from abductor pollicis brevis muscles. Minimal and mean latencies, persistences, chronodispersion (CD), mean F/M amplitude ratios, and repeater waves were evaluated. CD's in those limbs with the most prolonged distal motor latencies (DML) were significantly greater than in those with less prolonged DML's; 80% or greater repeater waves were found almost exclusively in those hands with decreased M-wave amplitudes; and, mean F/M values were almost always larger in the hand with the more prolonged DML. The data support differing effects of demyelinating and axonal injury on F-waves and suggest physiological compensation in those hands with the more pronounced neurpathic dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill., USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hoffen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology