Abstract:Background: Nerve conduction studies (NCSs) play a pivotal role in diagnosis of local nerve lesions and diffuse neuropathies serving as an extension of the clinical findings or examination .The neurophysiology laboratories in Punjab have to rely on data generated by studies from other Indian states and western literature, due to paucity of local NCS data.
Aim: To establish the normative data for ulnar nerve conduction parameters in young Punjabis.
Materials and Methods: As per the standardized technique, nerve conduction study was done on 320 participants (165 males and 155 females) aged 17-21 years. The data were analyzed separately for both genders using SPSS version 2.0, consisting of distal latencies and conduction velocities of sensory and motor divisions of ulnarnerve. Student's unpaired t-test was used for statistical analysis.
Results: There was no effect of gender on ulnar nerve conduction parameters. For ulnar motor nerve, the values of distal Latency y and conduction velocity in males were 3.30± 1.18ms and 63.08±2.53 m/s respectively, whereas in Females, they were 3.42±0.30 ms and 62.95± 2.74 m/s. Also, for ulnar sensory nerve, the latency and velocity values in males were 2.63 ± 0.48 ms and 55.69 ± 3.14 m/s, whereas, in females, they were 2.51±0.28 ms and 55.50±3.72m/s, respectively.
Conclusion: The data established in this study compared favorably with already existing data. For assessing the ulnar nerve abnormalities with greater accuracy in this population subset, the established data would help the local electrophysiology laboratories in the region.