[Inter-examiner reliability of nerve conduction measurements]

Abstract

A total of 122 patients were performed motor and sensory nerve conduction studies of the upper limb by two examiners (1. doctor, 2. medical technician) to know the inter-examiner reliability of nerve conduction measurements. Subjects contained normal individuals and various types of neuropathy patients. Motor nerve conduction studies were carried out in the median nerve, and antidromic sensory nerve conduction studies were performed in the median and ulnar nerves. F-wave latency of the median nerve and sensory conduction velocity between finger and wrist of the median and ulnar nerves presented the equal mean value between two examiners. A relatively good correlation between two examiners was pointed out in the distal motor latency and F-wave latency. Inappropriate measurements were caused by the differences in the site of placement of stimulating or recording electrodes and effects of submaximum stimuli or stimulus spread to other nerves. In sensory nerve conduction studies, especially in the ulnar nerve, careful attention should be paid to avoid the influence of motor artifact in giving supramaximum stimuli. Amplitude measurements showed larger inter-examiner difference than latency or velocity measurements. We reported the present condition of measurement reliability. We should do our best to minimize the error.