Clinical and electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median nerve in dental assistants.
METHODS
Descriptive.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the presence of clinical and electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median and ulnar nerves in both upper extremities of dental assistants.


BACKGROUND
A high prevalence of median neuropathies at, or distal to, the wrist have been reported in dentists and dental hygienists. But there is a paucity of literature on the incidence of abnormalities of the median or ulnar nerves in dental assistants.


METHODS
Thirty-five United States Army dental assistants (24 female, 11 male; age range, 18-41 years) volunteered for the study. Subjects completed a standardized history and physical examination. Nerve conduction status of the median and ulnar nerves of both upper extremities was obtained by performing motor, sensory, and F-wave (central) nerve conduction studies.


RESULTS
All electrophysiological variables were normal for motor, sensory, and F-wave (central) values when compared to a chart of normal values. Based on comparison studies of median and ulnar motor latencies within the same hand, 9 subjects (26%) involving 14 hands (20%) were found to have electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median nerve at, or distal to, the wrist. The other 26 dental assistants demonstrated normal comparison studies of the median and ulnar nerves in both upper extremities.


CONCLUSIONS
In this descriptive study of 35 dental assistants, 9 subjects (26%) were found to have electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median nerve at, or distal to, the wrist (when compared to the ulnar nerve of the same hand). Ulnar nerve electrophysiological function was within normal limits for all subjects examined.
Greathouse
David G
DG
Texas Physical Therapy Specialists, New Braunfels, TX, USA. greathoused1@yahoo.com
Root
Tiffany M
TM
Carrillo
Carla R
CR
Jordan
Chelsea L
CL
Pickens
Bryan B
BB
Sutlive
Thomas G
TG
Shaffer
Scott W
SW
Moore
Josef H
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003726:Dental Assistants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020423:Median Neuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011930:Reaction Time; D020424:Ulnar Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult