title: Nerve conduction studies are safe in patients with central venous catheters.
abstract: It is unknown if central venous catheters bypass the skin's electrical resistance and engender a risk of nerve conduction study-induced cardiac arrhythmia. The objective of this study is to determine if nerve conduction studies affect cardiac conduction and rhythm in patients with central venous catheters.
  
  
  
  Under continuous 12-lead electrocardiogram monitoring, subjects with and without central venous catheters underwent a series of upper extremity nerve conduction studies. A cardiologist reviewed the electrocardiogram tracings for evidence of cardiac conduction abnormality or arrhythmia.
  
  
  
  Ten control subjects and 10 subjects with central venous catheters underwent the nerve conduction study protocol. No malignant arrhythmias or conduction abnormalities were noted in either group.
  
  
  
  Nerve conduction studies of the upper extremities, including both proximal stimulation and repetitive stimulation, do not appear to confer increased risk of cardiac conduction abnormality in those patients with central venous catheters who are not critically ill or have a prior history of arrhythmia. Muscle Nerve 56: 321-323, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1324 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, SA.
authors.forename: Zachary N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: London
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mundwiler
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1324 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, SA.
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D062905:Central Venous Catheters; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: arrhythmia; cardiac conduction; central venous catheters; electromyography; nerve conduction studies; safety