Dilip Thakur, Bishnu Hari Paudel, Nirmala Limbu
ABSTRACT
Nerve conduction study (NCS) assesses peripheral nerve functions and is indicated in nerve or/and muscle disorders. This retrospective NCS done in Neurophysiology lab of BPKIHS, aimed to explore the pattern of neurological disorders, demographic and electrophysiological profile of patients’ referred for NCS. Demographic profiles, provisional clinical and electrophysiological diagnoses of 475 patients’ recorded from Nov 2006 to Aug 2010 were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pearson’s Chi-squared test was used to find correlation between clinical and electrophysiological diagnoses. Age of the patients’ ranged from 2.5 to 88 (41.5±18.6) years. Middle age (36-60 years; n=203, 42.73%) group was the most commonly referred. Males (n=284, 59.8%) were referred more with tingling sensation (n=71, 17.88%) as the commonest complaint followed by weakness of extremities (n=64, 16.12%). Maximum cases were electro-diagnosed as neuropathy (n=314, 66.1%), chronic axonal type (n=169, 53.82%) being the most common followed by carpel tunnel syndrome. Mixed nerves (n=186, 60.8%) were most commonly involved followed by motor (n=74, 24.18%), and sensory nerves (n=46, 15.03%). A significant correlation (p< 0.01) was seen between clinical and electrophysiological diagnoses. This study showed different pattern of neurological disorders and confirmed the correlation of electrophysiological diagnoses with provisional clinical diagnoses.
Keywords: electrophysiological diagnoses, nerve conduction study, neuropathy