Abstract
Objectives
Segmental sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) was measured from the wrists to the hands and digits of a population of vibration-exposed shipyard workers. This study was designed to investigate whether SNCV was selectively slowed in the fingers and whether a laboratory approach could be adapted for robust field use.
Methods
Wrist–palm, palm–proximal digit, and digital segments were determined from stimulation at the wrist with recording electrodes placed distally and adjusted to individual anatomy. The cohort was selected on the basis of current use of vibratory tools.
Results
Wrist–palm and digital segments were slower than palm–proximal digit segments for dominant and non-dominant hands and for both ulnar and median nerves. In the dominant-hand median nerve of participants with current exposure, the SNCV was 41.4 m/s (SD 8.0) for the wrist–palm segment, 50.8 (SD 9.5) for the palm segment, and 42.1 m/s (SD 9.3) for the digital segment. Temperature had an important effect on nerve conduction velocity but not equally across segments. Other explanatory variables had modest effect on SNCV.
Conclusions
Reduced SNCV in the digits may be a consequence of industrial exposure to vibration. Each sensory nerve segment appeared to have a different characteristic velocity and different pattern of association with skin temperature. There are differences between median and ulnar nerve segments, with potentially important consequences when standard distances are used to assess wrist–digit velocity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashworth NL, Marshall SC, Satkunam LI (1998) The effect of temperature on nerve conduction parameters in carpal tunnel syndrome. Muscle Nerve 21:1089–1091
Bannister RG, Sears TA (1962) The changes in nerve conduction in acute idiopathic polyneuritis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 25:312–328
Bovenzi M (1994) Hand–arm vibration syndrome and dose–response relation for vibration induced white finger among quarry drillers and stonecarvers. Occup Environ Med 51:603–611
Bovenzi M, Petronio L, DiMarino F (1980) Epidemiological survey of shipyard workers exposed to hand–arm vibration. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 46:251–266
Brammer AJ, Pyykko I (1987) Vibration-induced neuropathy. Detection by nerve conduction. Scand J Work Environ Health 13:317–322
Brammer AJ, Piercy JE, Auger PL, Nohara S (1987a) Tactile perception in hands occupationally exposed to vibration. J Hand Surg 12A:870–875
Brammer AJ, Taylor W, Lundborg G (1987b) Sensorineural stages of the hand-arm vibration syndrome. Scand J Work Environ Health 13:279–283.
Brammer AJ, Piercy JE, Nohara S, Nakamura H, Auger PL, Haines AT, Lawrence M, Brubaker RL, van Netten C (1990) Vibrotactile thresholds in operators of vibrating hand-held tools. In: Okada A, Taylor W, Dupuis H (eds) Hand–arm vibration. Kyoei Press, Kanazawa, Japan, pp 221-223
Buschbacher R (1999a) Median 14-cm and 7-cm antidromic sensory studies to digits two and three. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 78:S53–62
Buschbacher R (1999b) Ulnar 14-cm and 7-cm antidromic sensory studies to digits two and three. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 78:S563–568
Chatterjee DS, Barwick DD, Petrie (1982) Exploratory electromyography in the study of vibration-induced white finger in rock drillers. Br J Ind Med 39:89–97
Cherniack MG, Letz R, Gerr F, Brammer A, Pace P (1990) Detailed clinical assessment of neurological function in symptomatic shipyard workers. Br J Ind Med 47:566-572
Dumitru D, Walsh NE (1988) Practical instrumentation and common sources of error. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 67:55–65
Farkkila M, Pyykko I, Jantti V, et al. (1988) Forestry workers exposed to vibration: a neurological study. Br J Ind Med 45:188–192
Frannsen H. Wieneke GH, Wokke JHJ (1999) The influence of temperature on conduction block. Muscle Nerve 22:166–173
Gemne G (ed) Stockholm Workshop 86 (1987) Symptomatology and diagnostic methods in the hand–arm vibration syndrome. Scand J Work Environ Health 13S:265–388
Hagberg M, Nystrom A, Zetterlund B (1991) Recovery from symptoms after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery in males in relation to vibration exposure. J Hand Surg 16:66–71
Halar EM, De Lisa JA, Soine TL (1983) Nerve conduction studies in upper extremities. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 64:412–416
Ho ST, Yu HS (1989) Ultrastructural changes of the peripheral nerves induced by vibration: an experimental study. Br J Ind Med 46:157–164
Kakosy T (1994) Tunnel syndromes of the upper extremities in workers using hand-operated vibrating tools. Med Lav 85:474–480
Katz, JN, Stirrat CR (1990) A self-administered hand diagram for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Hand Surg [Am] 15:360–363
Kimura J (1979) The carpal tunnel syndrome: localization of conduction abnormalities within the distal segment of the median nerve. Brain 102:619–635
Kimura J (1983) Principles and pitfalls of nerve conduction studies. Ann Neurol 16:415–429
Kimura J (1989) Electrodiagnosis. In: Diseases of nerve and muscle: principles and practices. Davis, Philadelphia
Kimura J (1997) Facts, fallacies, and fancies of nerve conduction studies: twenty-first annual Edward H. Lambert lecture. Muscle Nerve 20:777–787
Kimura J (1998) Kugelberg lecture: Principles and pitfalls of nerve conduction studies. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 106:470–476
King JC, Dumitru D, Wertsch JJ (2001) Digit distribution of proper digital nerve action potential. Muscle Nerve 24:1489–1895
Letz R, Gerr F (1992) Covariate of human peripheral nerve function: I. Nerve conduction velocity and amplitude. Neurotoxicol Teratol 116:95–104
Letz R, Cherniack M, Gerr F, Hershman D, Pace P (1993) A cross-sectional epidemiologic survey of shipyard workers exposed to hand–arm vibration. Br J Ind Med 49:53–62
Ma DM, Liveson JA (1985) Nerve conduction handbook. Davis, Philadelphia
Maynard FM, Stolac WC (1972) Experimental error in determination of nerve conduction velocity. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 53:362–373
Nathan PA, Meadows KD, Doyle LS (1988) Relationship of age and sex to sensory conduction of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel and association of slowed conduction with symptoms. Muscle Nerve 11:1149–1153
Nilsson T (2002) Neurological diagnosis: aspects of bedside and electrodiagnostic examinations in relation to hand–arm vibration syndrome. Int Arch Environ Health 75:55–67
Sakakibara H, Kondo T-A, Miyao M, Yamada S (1994) Digital nerve conduction velocity as a sensitive indication of peripheral neuropathy in vibration syndrome. Am J Ind Med 26:359–366
Sakakibara H, Hirata M, Hashiguchi T, Toibana N, Koshiyama H (1998) Affected segments of the median nerve detected by fractionated nerve conduction measurement in vibration-induced neuropathy. Ind Health 36:155–159
Salerno DF, Franzblau A, Armstrong TJ, Werner RA, Albers JW, Bromberg MB (1998) Nerve conduction studies among workers: normative values. Muscle Nerve 21:999–1005
Stetson DS, Albers JW, Silverstein BA, Wolfe RA (1992) Effects of age, sex and anthropometric factors on nerve conduction measures. Muscle Nerve 15:1095–1104
Stromberg T, Dahlin LB, Rosen I, Lundborg G (1999) Neurophysiological findings in vibration-exposed male workers. J Hand Surg 24B:203–209
Takeuchi T, Takeyama M, Imanishi H (1988) Ultrastructural changes in peripheral nerves of the fingers of three vibration-exposed persons with Raynaud’s phenomenon. Scand J Work Environ Health 14:31–35
Tashjian EA, Ellenberg MR, Cross N, Chodoroff G, Honet JC (1987) Temperature effect on antidromic and orthodromic sensory nerve action potential latency and amplitude. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 68:549–552
Wu PB, Baig M, Huang S, Kingery WS, Date E (1993) Temperature correction factors derived from normal subjects may be invalid in demyelinating neuropathies. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 72:369–371
Acknowledgements
The contributions of Anthony Alessi, Dianne Trudeau, and Jill Zimmerman are gratefully acknowledged. This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U01 OH07312.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cherniack, M., Brammer, A.J., Lundstrom, R. et al. Segmental nerve conduction velocity in vibration-exposed shipyard workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 77, 159–176 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-003-0486-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-003-0486-x