Preliminary Normative Estimates of Motor and Sensory Nerve Conduction Parameters in Children Under Five in Bangladesh

A bstract Background: Pediatric nerve conduction reference data are predominantly derived from non-South Asian populations and may not adequately reflect developmental and anthropometric differences in Bangladeshi children. Aims: To generate preliminary age-specific normative estimates of motor and sensory nerve conduction parameters in children under 5 years of age in Bangladesh. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study conducted at icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh, between May and December 2021. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight apparently healthy children aged 6 months to 5 years underwent standardized motor and sensory nerve conduction studies of the median, ulnar, radial, tibial, sural, and superficial peroneal nerves using a uniform protocol. Statistical Analysis: Age-specific conditional percentiles were estimated using quantile regression models and are presented as preliminary normative distributions. Results: Participants were stratified into four age groups (6 months–1 year, 1–2 years, 2–4 years, and 4–5 years). Age-specific 2.5th, 50th, and 97.5th percentiles are reported for amplitude, conduction velocity, and distal latency. Conduction velocities of both motor and sensory nerves increased consistently with age, whereas distal latencies showed minimal variation across age groups. Conclusions: This study presents preliminary age-specific normative estimates of motor and sensory nerve conduction parameters in Bangladeshi children aged under 5 years. The findings demonstrate expected maturational changes in early childhood and underscore the limitations of applying nonlocal reference standards.