Assessment of Small Nerve Fibers Using the Cutaneous Silent Period: Effect of Age and Gender.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Small fiber neuropathy cannot be detected using conventional nerve conduction studies. The use of the cutaneous silent period (CSP) could represent an effective non-invasive test in evaluating the small nerve fibers. The current work aimed to evaluate the CSP among healthy individuals across different decades and assess the effect of gender on CSP values.

METHODS

71 healthy volunteers with an age range of 20-60 years were included in this study. Several CSP parameters were measured, including CSP latencies and duration of the median, ulnar, and sural nerves.

RESULTS

We obtained the mean CSP parameters for the mentioned upper and lower limb nerves across different decades. Age had a significant impact on CSP latencies. Males showed longer latencies than females. No significant inter-side CSP difference was noted.

CONCLUSION

The CSP test is a non-invasive tolerable test and could serve as an important addition to routine electrophysiological examination. The age and gender significantly impact the CSP latency. The establishment of normative data and an understanding of the effects of age and gender is essential for proper employment.