title: The study of diagnostic efficacy of nerve conduction study parameters in cervical radiculopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical Radiculopathy (CR) is a neurologic condition characterised by dysfunction of a cervical spinal nerve, the roots of the nerve, or both. Diagnostic criteria for CR are not well defined, and no universally accepted criteria for its diagnosis have been established. Clinical examination, radiological imaging and electrophysiologic evaluation are the different modalities to diagnose CR. The incidence of Cervical Spondylosis and related conditions is increasing in the present scenario and the use of radiologic examination is time consuming and uneconomical for the common Indian setup. Thus, there is a definite need to establish a cost effective, reliable, and accurate means for establishing the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy. Electrodiagnostic tests are the closest to fulfill these criteria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate diagnostic utility of various motor and sensory nerve conduction study parameters in cervical radiculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a cross-sectional study conducted on 100 subjects of age > 40 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The consecutive patients clinically diagnosed to have cervical radiculopathy, referred from department of Orthopaedics were prospectively recruited for the motor and sensory nerve conduction study using RMS EMG EP Mark-II. Parameters studied were Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP), Distal Motor Latency (DML) and Conduction Velocity (CV) for motor nerves and Sensory Nerve Action Potential (SNAP) and CV for sensory nerves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study observations and results were analysed to find the Specificity, Sensitivity, Positive Predictive Value and Negative Predictive Value using SPSS 16.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among various motor nerve conduction parameters CMAP was found to be more sensitive with high positive predicative value. CV was found to have greater specificity and DML had least negative predictive value. Sensory nerve conduction parameters were found to have less sensitivity but higher specificity as compared to motor parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nerve conduction studies are useful supportive diagnostic tool for suspected cervical radiculopathy as they are found to have reliable sensitivity and specificity.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences , Sevagram, India .
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pawar
authors.affiliation: Under Graduate Student, Department of Physiology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences , Sevagram, India .
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kashikar
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences , Sevagram, India .
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shende
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Physiology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences , Sevagram, India .
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waghmare
keywords: Conduction velocity; Sensitivity; Specificity