Comparison of ulnar and median nerve conduction parameters between males and females

Abstract

Background: Nerve conduction study (NCS) is a tool to assess the integrity of peripheral nervous system. It helps in diagnosis, planning of treatment, and prognosis of diseases of peripheral nerves. NCS parameters are affected by several physical factors like temperature, demography and ethnicity besides age, gender, height, weight, BMI etc. The present study was targeted at finding out the differences between male and female NCS parameters. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a total of 75 participants, 40 males and 35 females. Baseline investigations were performed to exclude any co-morbid conditions. Individuals with normal investigations were subjected for nerve conduction studies on ulnar and median nerves. Independent sample t-test was done to compare NCS parameters of male and female participants. Results: There was no significant differences between male and female median motor, ulnar motor, and median sensory NCS parameters. Only ulnar sensory NCS parameters latency and amplitude were significantly different in males and females, latency being more in males (p=0.043) while amplitude being more in females (p=0.019). Conclusion: No significant gender-based differences were found in median motor, ulnar motor, and median sensory NCS parameters and only ulnar sensory NCS parameters had significantl differences between males and females.

Pak J Physiol 2020;16(2):34?7