To assess the significance of the area and the amplitude in nerve conduction study and the possibility of the clinical application of each parameter, the measure values of various parameters of posterior tibial nerve in ten Korean house rabbits were compared to each other before and after mechanical injury.

The correlation coefficients between various parameters and percentage changes in time interval are obtained, the authors concluded as followings.

1) At preinjury state; there is a high correlationship between the area and the amplitude (correlation coefficient between total area and amplitude; 0.757, correlation coefficient between area-n and amp-n; 0.886). Thus at preinjury state, both the area and the amplitude could represent the quantitative impulse transmission of peripheral nerve. (are-n and amp-n; the area and amplitude of negative component in compound muscle action potential).

2) At postinjury; the percent decrement of amplitude and area is 45.4%, 35.7% and that of amp-n and area-n is 39.2%, 31.7% retrospectively. Thus the decrement of the amplitude after mechanical injury is greater than that of the area.; There is a low correlationship between the area and the amplitude (correlation coefficient between area and amp; 0.511, correlation coefficient between area-n and amp-n; 0.459). Thus at postinjury state, the area is more precise parameter in representing the quantitative impulse transmission of peripheral nerve than the amplitude.

3) There was no significant statistical difference in the area and the area-n retrospectively, so both the area & area-n could represent the quantitative transmission of peripheral nerve.

4) Therefore, in pathological condition, the area is a more precise parameter in quantitative analysis of compound muscle action potential than amplitude.

Keywords :Area, Nerve injury, Nerve conduction study, Electromyography, Experimental study