NERVE CONDUCTION PARAMETERS OF THE MEDIAN AND ULNAR NERVES IN HEALTHY ADULTS FROM NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Nerve conduction studies (NCS) evaluate peripheral nerve function through nerve conduction velocity (NCV), distal latency and amplitude, and show nerve health, disease diagnosis, and axonal degeneration/demyelination. NCS parameters are influenced by age, gender, BMI, ethnicity, environmental and pathological factors. Standardized NCS values from western countries are used in Pakistan, and local reference values are unavailable. This study aimed to determine normal median and ulnar NCS parameters in healthy adults from Northern Pakistan, and assessed correlations with demographic and body-composition variables. Methods: This study was conducted at Ayub Medical College/CMH Abbottabad on 180 healthy adults from Jun 2024 to Nov 2025. Participants underwent neurological examination, laboratory screening and standardized median and ulnar NCS using Nihon Kohden Neuropack. Pearson correlation with 95% CI assessed associations between NCS parameters and demographic/body-composition variables. Results: Age showed moderate positive correlations with median motor wrist latency (r=0.48, 95% CI 0.35–0.58, p<0.001) and median sensory latency (r=0.51, 95% CI 0.39–0.61, p<0.001), and negative correlations with amplitudes and sensory NCV. Height showed positive correlations with ulnar motor latency at wrist (r=0.46, 95% CI 0.34–0.57, p<0.001), and elbow (r=0.53, 95% CI 0.42–0.63, p<0.001). Weight/BMI showed weak associations. Several body-composition measures, i.e., body fat, body water, visceral fat, and muscle mass, were significantly correlated with selected ulnar parameters. Conclusion: Age and height were important determinants of median and ulnar nerve conduction parameters, while associations with weight, BMI, and body-composition measures were generally parameter specific.

Pak J Physiol 2026;22(3):145–8, DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v22i3.1968