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Ultrasound Effects on Electroneuromyographic Measures In Sensory Fibers of the Median Nerve

Andrew B. Cosentino, David L. Cross, Raymond J. Harrington, Gary L. Soderberg

Physical Therapy 1983 · 10.1093/ptj/63.11.1788

human healthyhealthyemg mep

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the available literature and study the influence of ultrasound on the conduction velocity and amplitude of evoked sensory potentials in the median nerve. Thirteen subjects were assigned to either Experimental or Control Groups for ultrasound or placebo treatments. We compared sensory-nerve conduction velocity in the median nerve after 10 minutes of ultrasound treatment at three intensity levels (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 W/cm2) with sensory-nerve conduction velocity in the median nerve after 10 minutes of placebo ultrasound treatment (0.0 W/cm2). No significant differences were noted between groups at any of the three ultrasound intensity levels, nor were the interaction effects significant. A hypothetical model, based on the available literature, proposes that ultrasound-induced changes in sensory-nerve conduction velocity may not progress in a direct linear fashion relative to the duration of treatment.

Abstract via europepmc.

Specieshuman
Subjects13 participants
Sessions per subject3
Randomisedyes
Blindingnot reported
Sham / controlinactive transducer
Auditory controlnot reported
Readout timingoffline
Anaesthesianot applicable
Readoutsemg mepSensory-nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) and amplitude of evoked response (AER) of orthodromic sensory potentials of the median nerve
Direction of effectno effectNo significant differences in sensory-nerve conduction velocity or amplitude of evoked response were found between ultrasound (0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 W/cm2) and placebo (0.0 W/cm2) groups, or across intensities, after 10 minutes of treatment.
Adverse eventsnot reported

Exposures

Exposure 1: Therapeutic ultrasound applied to forearm overlying the median nerve

Target: median nerve — “median nerve
Device: other named manufacturer · Rich-Mar Corporation · Rich-Mar VI Ultrasound unit

Pulse timing
Waveformnot reported
Fundamental frequency (kHz)1,000✓✓
Pulse duration (ms)not reported
Pulse repetition frequency (Hz)not reported
Duty cycle (%)not reported
Sonication duration (s)600✓✓
Pressure and intensity, by domain
Free-field pressure (kPa)not reported
Free-field Isppa (W/cm²)not reported
Free-field Ispta (W/cm²)not reported
In-situ estimatenot reported
In-situ pressure (kPa)not reported
In-situ Isppa (W/cm²)not reported
In-situ Ispta (W/cm²)not reported
Ispta, domain unspecified (W/cm²)0.5, 1, 1.5swept✓✓
Protocol, in the paper’s words

After determining the pretest values, either ultrasound treatment of 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 W/cm2 for 10 minutes or placebo ultrasound treatment of 0.0 W/cm2 for 10 minutes was applied to experimental and control subjects, respectively. The ultrasound was applied at a rate of about 6 cm/sec using a counterclockwise circular motion for a distance of 25 to 40 cm, depending on the length of the subject's mid forearm. Treatments were administered with minimal intervals of 48 hours.

Flags from extraction

  • exposures[0].unspecified_domain.isppa_w_cm2Paper reports only 'ultrasound intensity' in W/cm^2 (device moved over skin) without specifying ISPPA, ISPTA or SATA; recorded here as isppa_w_cm2 for schema compliance.
  • exposures[0].timing.waveformPaper does not state whether the Rich-Mar VI unit was operated in continuous or pulsed mode.
  • sham_typeClassified as inactive_transducer because the control arm received 'placebo ultrasound treatment (0.0 W/cm2)', i.e. the same device/procedure with zero acoustic output; the paper gives no further detail of how the placebo was produced.