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. 2024 Sep;70(3):395-401.
doi: 10.1002/mus.28197. Epub 2024 Jul 4.

F wave analysis based on the compound muscle action potential scan

Xiaoyan Li  1   2 , Maoqi Chen  3 , Paul E Barkhaus  1 , Sanjeev D Nandedkar  1   4 , Brian Schmit  5 , Ping Zhou  3
Affiliations

F wave analysis based on the compound muscle action potential scan

Xiaoyan Li et al. Muscle Nerve. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Introduction/aims: Conventional F wave analysis involves a relatively uniform physiological environment induced by supramaximal stimulations. The F wave characteristics in a dynamic physiological condition, however, are rarely investigated. This study aimed to improve understanding of F wave properties in the more dynamic process by introducing a novel method to analyze F waves based on the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) scan technique.

Methods: Twenty four healthy subjects participated in the study. The CMAP scan was applied to record muscle responses in the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscles, respectively. F wave characteristics including mean F wave amplitude and latency (F-M latency), persistence and activating threshold were quantified.

Results: An average of 200 F waves per muscle were obtained from the CMAP scan recording. Weak to moderate correlations between F wave amplitude and stimulating intensity were observed in most of the APB (19 muscles; r = 0.33 ± 0.14, all p < .05) and ADM (23 muscles, r = 0.46 ± 0.16, all p < .05) muscles. Significantly longer mean F latency and lower activating F-threshold were found in the ADM muscles (F-M latency: APB: 25.43 ± 2.39 ms, ADM: 26.15 ± 2.32 ms, p < .05; F-threshold: APB: 7.68 ± 8.96% CMAP, ADM: 2.35 ± 2.42% CMAP, p < .05).

Discussion: This study introduces new features of F waves using the CMAP scan technique and identifies differences of F wave characteristics between the hand muscles. The CMAP scan based F waves analysis can be combined with the motor unit number estimation to assess functional alterations in motor neurons in neurological disorders.

Keywords: F wave analysis; compound muscle action potential (CMAP) scan; electrophysiology; hand muscles; motor neuron.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Dr. Nandedkar is an employee of Natus Medical Inc and has no conflicts to report. None of the other authors has any conflict of interest to disclose.

Financial Disclosure Statement: There are no financial conflicts of interest to disclose.

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