F-wave studies on the deep peroneal nerve. Part 2.--1. Chronic renal failure 2. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.

The F-wave has been used for estimations of motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) along the proximal segment (anterior horn cells to the knee) of the axons of the deep peroneal nerve in patients with renal failure and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. MNCV and terminal latencies with conventional methods have also been estimated. Patients with chronic renal failure show marked F-chronodispersion (i.e. F-wave temporal dispersion) and impaired conduction along proximal and distal segments of the deep peroneal nerve. There is no evidence of motor nerve impairment, with conventional and F-wave methods, in patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. It is shown that F-wave measurements are useful in electrophysiological studies of patients and may be more sensitive than conventional MNCV methods.