Abstract

1. Background: Nerve conduction studies (NCSs) are an invaluable aid to investigate and quantify the physiological activity of peripheral nerves. They include measurement of sensory and motor conduction velocities and latencies of peripheral nerves which might be influenced by anthropometric factors like age, sex, height, weight, temperature and (body mass index) BMI.
2. Objective: As mentioned in the companion paper, normative NCS parameters were lacking in Sudan, hence the aim of this study is to establish our own EMG normal neurophysiological values among adult Sudanese people.
3. Method: A descriptive, analytic, cross sectional study investigating 200 Peroneal nerves of 100 healthy Sudanese people was conducted in Elmagzoub Neuroscience Center; supported by the Faculty of Medicine, National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan.
4. Results: The normative neurophysiologic values of the Left and Right peroneal nerve CMAP (compound muscle action potential) in the whole sample of this work were shown as; latency (ms), amplitude (mV), duration (ms), area (mVms) and conduction velocity (m/s). The Left Peroneal values were 6.1±1.7, 2.6±0.5, 3.6±0.9, 13.8±6.1 and 46.5±2, respectively. The right peroneal values were 5.7±2.3, 3.6±0.9, 5.7±1.3, 15.7±7 and 48.3±4.5, respectively.
5. Conclusion: Most EMG laboratories worldwide depend on reference values originated in Caucasian populations. Consequently, this is a second of serial NCSs of common peripheral nerves, performed in Afro-Arab ethnic Sudanese population, aiming to determine if there are any diverse values between this group and the aforementioned. Eventually this work will allow us to have our own NCS reference parameters.

Keywords

Nerve conduction study, neuromuscular junction, chemotherapy, peroneal branch, neuropathy, hypertension