Body mass index effect on common nerve conduction study measurements

Abstract

This study was performed to determine whether there is a difference in nerve conduction study (NCS) measures based on body fat (body mass index; BMI). Two hundred fifty-three subjects had the following NCS tests performed on them: median, ulnar, peroneal, and tibial motor studies; median, ulnar, radial, and sural sensory studies; median and ulnar mixed nerve studies; and H-reflex studies. BMI was calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. A repeated measures analysis of variance was run adjusting for age, sex, and height and using BMI as both a continuous variable and by dividing BMI into upper, middle, and lower thirds. The sensory and mixed nerve amplitudes correlated significantly (P < or = 0.01) with BMI for all nerves tested, with means being approximately 20-40% lower in the obese than in the thin subjects. No correlation was noted between BMI and nerve conduction velocity, H-reflex latency, or most of the other motor/sensory/mixed measures. The correlation between increased BMI and lower sensory/mixed nerve amplitudes should be taken into account in clinical practice.