EVALUATION OF NERVE CONDUCTION STUDY IN PATIENTS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is a disorder in which thyroid gland is underactive and not able to secrete sufcient amount of thyroid hormone to meet the demands of the brain and its peripheral tissues. Long standing cases of untreated hypothyroidism leads to peripheral neuropathy with early features like numbness and tingling in the distal parts of the body, muscle pain and stiffness and also gait imbalance. Nerve conduction study(NCS) is employed to know the presence, site and extend of damage in the nerves caused by hypothyroidism. The aim of this study was to assess the electro diagnostic evidence of peripheral nerve dysfunction in hypothyroid patients. This is a cross sectional study conducted on 40 clinically diagnosed patients of Hypothyroidism in the age group of 20-60 years. After obtaining approval, study was performed using RMS EMG EP Mark-II Electrophysiology machine in the physiology department. All the participants were placed in either of the two groups (group I for symptomatic and group II for asymptomatic patients). Motor and sensory conduction studies were done for Median nerve and Sural nerves. Electrophysiological parameters such as latency, amplitude and conduction velocity were evaluated. Statistically signicant difference in latencies and amplitude of motor component of median nerve were found between two groups. Signicant changes were also noted in sensory median and sural nerve parameters of symptomatic group as compared to asymptomatic individuals (group II). Nerve conduction study can prevent the complications of hypothyroidism if used as a routine investigation along with thyroid prole study.