Diagnostic utility of waveform analysis of compound muscle action potentials for carpal tunnel syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the diagnostic utility of waveform analysis of compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).


METHODS
A total of 131 hands in 71 patients diagnosed with CTS (grouped according to severity) and 80 hands in 44 normal subjects were evaluated using nerve conduction test through the carpal tunnel combined with waveform analysis of CMAP.


RESULTS
Compared to normal subjects, the sensory nerve conduction velocity and mean frequency of the CMAP waveform were significantly reduced in patients with CTS. Compared with distal motor latency and sensory nerve conduction velocity, the mean frequency of the CMAP decreased significantly with increasing clinical severity.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that waveform analysis of CMAP is of diagnostic value in CTS, and is also of value in objective evaluation of postoperative recovery of carpal median nerve dysfunction.
Ogura
T
T
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Mori
M
M
Mikami
Y
Y
Hase
H
H
Hayashida
T
T
Kubo
T
T
Kira
Y
Y
Aramaki
S
S
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D014953:Wrist / Q000294:innervation*