F-wave conduction velocity, persistence, and amplitude for the tibial nerve in clinically normal cats.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method of F-wave evaluation and to determine normative values of F-wave parameters, including F-wave conduction velocity, persistence, and amplitude for the tibial nerve in cats.

ANIMALS

30 clinically normal cats.

PROCEDURES

F-waves elicited in the interosseous muscles by stimulation of the tibial nerve were recorded, and linear regression analyses of the shortest latency versus the length of the tibial nerve and the limb length were performed. F-wave persistence was calculated by dividing the number of recorded F-waves by the number of stimuli.

RESULTS

The correlation coefficient between F-wave latency and nerve length was 0.92, and that between F-wave latency and limb length was 0.58. Mean +/- SD F-wave conduction velocity of the tibial nerve was calculated to be 97.1 +/- 5.0 m/s. Linear regression analysis yielded the regression equation as follows: F-wave latency (milliseconds) = 2.60 + (0.02 x nerve length [mm]). Mean F-wave persistence and amplitude were 98.7 +/- 2.3% and 1.01 +/- 0.62 mV, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results indicated that nerve length should be used for nerve conduction studies of F-waves in felids. The regression equation for F-wave latency, conduction velocity, persistence, and amplitude may contribute to the diagnosis of nervous system diseases or injury in cats, such as trauma to the spinal cord or diabetic neuropathy.