Reference values of fractionated neurography of the ulnar nerve at the wrist in healthy subjects.
OBJECTIVE
This study is designed to derive a normative database for nerve conduction values of the ulnar nerve in the wrist.


METHODS
Ulnar nerve study at the wrist (UNSW) was performed in 204 hands of 102 control subjects. The UNSW was composed of motor and sensory tests. Motor UNSW was done with first dorsal interosseous muscle recording. Sensory UNSW was performed antidromically with fifth finger recording. The 3 stimulation points were 2 cm proximal to the pisiform, just lateral to pisiform, and 3 cm distal to the pisiform.


RESULTS
Mean latency differences in the proximal and distal segments were 0.4 +/- 0.1 and 0.5 +/- 0.1 ms in motor UNSW and 0.4 +/ -0.1 and 0.5 +/- 0.1 ms in sensory UNSW. The 95th percentile values for motor and sensory UNSW were 0.5 ms in the proximal segment and 0.7 ms in the distal segment.


CONCLUSIONS
When the 95-percentile value was considered as the normal upper limit, the criteria of abnormality for motor and sensory UNSW were greater than 0. 5 ms in the proximal segment and greater than 0.7 ms in the distal segment.


CONCLUSIONS
The normative values of UNSW may be useful in screening for ulnar neuropathy at the wrist.
Kim
Dong Hwee
DH
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. rmkdh@chol.com
Kang
Yoon Kyoo
YK
Hwang
Miriam
M
Kwon
Hee Kyu
HK
Lee
Hang Jae
HJ
Kim
Byoung Gwon
BG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000592:standards*; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D020424:Ulnar Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000294:innervation