title: Asymptomatic median mononeuropathy among men with chronic paraplegia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare electrophysiologic abnormalities of the median nerve in asymptomatic paraplegic subjects and able-bodied controls and to examine the influence of personal factors on these parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven men with paraplegia and 36 able-bodied controls underwent nerve conduction studies on both upper limbs. All were free of hand numbness in the past month, diabetic mellitus, or neuromusculoskeletal injuries to the upper limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nerve conduction studies of the bilateral median and ulnar nerves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the 2 groups were of comparable age and had a similar body mass index (BMI), the subjects with paraplegia had a significantly higher proportion of asymptomatic median mononeuropathy than the controls (25.5% vs 5.6%, P=.02). The spinal cord injury (SCI) group had a prolonged median distal latency and a slowed digit-wrist sensory nerve conduction velocity. Multivariate general linear model analysis showed that prolonged motor and sensory latencies of the median nerve were associated with the SCI group and with greater BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The asymptomatic subjects with paraplegia had a significantly higher frequency of median mononeuropathy than the able-bodied controls. There was also an association between BMI and distal latency of the median nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Huey-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yen-Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shin-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Tyng-Guey
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tien-Shang
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020423:Median Neuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index