Test-retest reliability of the ulnar F-wave minimum latency versus ulnar distal motor latency in healthy adults.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to explore reliability of the ulnar F-wave minimum latency (Fmin) and the ulnar distal motor latency (DML) and to contrast those levels of reliability in order to reveal whether physiologic lability is the primary contributor to unwanted variability in Fmin measurements.


METHODS
Fmin and DML in the Abductor Digiti Minimi muscle were measured bilaterally by two raters in 50 healthy adults (n = 100 hands, 70 male, 30 female) with 3-14 days between testing sessions.


RESULTS
Intrarater reliability (ICC 3,1) for the Fmin was 0.89 with a standard error of the measurement (SEM) of 0.77 msec. Interrater reliability (ICC 2,1) for the Fmin was 0.80 with a SEM of 1.04 msec. Intrarater reliability (ICC 3,1) for the DML was 0.71 with a SEM of 0.18 msec. Interrater reliability (ICC 2,1) for the DML was 0.76 with a SEM of 0.19 msec.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to our hypothesis, the Fmin had a higher reliability than the DML. The DML did not display the high reliability other investigators have reported. We conclude the Fmin is a reliable measurement when 10 supramaximal stimulations are administered to healthy, young to middle-aged adult subjects. However, no inferences were made regarding relative levels of psychologic lability for the two latencies.
McNulty
V B
VB
U.S. Army-Baylor University Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, AMEDD Center and School, Ft. Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA. vancilme@yahoo.com
McBride
K D
KD
Moreland
T A
TA
Allison
S C
SC
Moore
J H
JH
Ernst
G P
GP
D000328:Adult; D000870:Anterior Horn Cells / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000502:physiology*