Nerve conduction velocities in the lower extremity in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon and clinical applications

Summary 

Background and purpose

The purpose of the study is to study the nerve conductivity of the tibial motor, peroneal motor, peroneal sensory, and sural nerves in patients with primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP).

Subjects

Twenty each: primary RP, secondary RP, and normal controls.

Methods

Electromyography using distal latency (DL) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) as dependent variables.

Results

Peroneal nerve DLs were slower and NCVs were weaker for the secondary RP group compared to the primary RP group and controls. Tibial motor nerve DLs from slowest to fastest were: primary RP, secondary RP, and controls. NCV strength order was: secondary RP weakest, primary RP, and controls.

Discussion

Patients with secondary RP generally had the slowest DLs and the weakest NCVs, with differences most pronounced in the motor nerves. With the exception of the tibial motor nerve, patients with primary RP had similar NCVs to the control group. Neural mobilization techniques can be applied to assist with patient symptoms.

Keywords: Nerve conduction studies, Raynaud's phenomenon, Neural mobilization, Electromyography