Coasting effect of n-hexane-induced neuropathy evidenced by electroneuromyography and clinical symptom scales: a 12-month follow-up study

Age (years) (mean ± SD)
Total (n=18)	30.05±12.66
Women (n=14)	30.37±13.38
Men (n=4)	28.75±10.84
Body mass index (kg/m²)	24.99±4.06
*Operational units^ (n=18)**
lasting/assembly unit	9
stitching/closing unit	7
primer coating unit	2
Duration of employment at the shoe factory (months) (mean ± SD)	27.55±19.54

* The lasting/assembly unit mainly involves sole attachment using solvent-based adhesives; the stitching/closing unit includes mechanical sewing of the upper parts, while the primer coating unit is responsible for surface preparation using primer solutions prior to bonding. SD – standard deviation

Table 2

Changes in clinical scale scores from baseline to month 12 of follow-up

	Baseline	4^th Month	12^th Month	p
NPRS	7.80±1.54 ^a	8.75±1.29 ^b	4.50±2.89 ^c	<0.001^*
S-LANSS	15.25±5.75 ^a	18.35±4.50 ^b	6.75±9.42 ^c	<0.001^*
FIM	48.85±14.97 ^a	36.55±17.83 ^b	73.60±10.04 ^c	<0.001^*
ONLS	5.10±2.36 ^a	8.40±3.39 ^b	2.60±1.73 ^c	<0.001^*

* statistically significant differences are marked with different letters in superscript (Friedman test, followed by Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons). FIM (Functional Independence Measure), NPRS (Numeric Pain Rating Scale), ONLS (Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale) and S-LANSS (Self-Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs Pain Scale)

Table 3

Changes in measured electroneuromyography parameters from baseline to month 12 of follow-up

	Reference intervals	Baseline	4^th Month	12^th Month	p
rMMDL	3.8 ms	3.75±0.42^a	4.48±2.43^b	4.6±1.25^ab	0.040^*
rMMAmp	4.3 mV	12.28±3.49^a	3.81±4.43^b	6.57±4.61^c	<0.001^*
rMMVel	49.7 m/s	47.27±6.38^a	37.11±20.61^b	51.34±8.6^a	0.026^*
rMSDL	3.3 ms	2.93±0.36	3.18±0.49	1.95±1.78	0.252
rMSAmp	10 µV	21.18±5.52^a	8.4±8.98^b	17.73±4.94^c	<0.001^*
rMSVel	39.4 m/s	41.57±7.25^a	21.77±18.7^b	38.88±5.27^a	<0.001^*
rUMDL	3.3 ms	2.96±0.28^a	4.13±2.25^b	3.55±1.29^c	<0.001^*
rUMAmp	7 mV	13.38±2.67^a	4.91±4.92^b	8.73±4.12^c	<0.001^*
rUMVel	49.9 m/s	49.48±8.11^a	39.41±18.18^b	51.24±7.59^a	0.008^*
rUSDL	3.1 ms	2.74±0.35	2.92±0.44	1.74±1.68	0.397
rUSAmp	7 µV	20.42±4.98^a	6.8±8.48^b	16.56±6.34^a	<0.001^*
rUSVel	37.3 m/s	42.59±5.23^a	21.14±20.11^b	38.89±3.64^c	<0.001^*
rCPMDL	5.8 ms	4.79±0.76^a	7.29±2.93	5.86±3.6	0.040^*
rCPMAmp	3.6 mV	6.85±2.28^a	1.58±2.8^b	2.49±3.46^b	<0.001^*
rCPMVel	40.9 m/s	40.73±5.03^a	17.51±20.64^b	24.56±21.15^b	<0.001^*
rTPMDL	5.8 ms	4.49±0.69	6.69±3.24	5.41±2.23	0.285
rTPMAmp	3.6 mV	18.79±7.29^a	3.52±5.83^b	6.13±7.36^c	<0.001^*
rTPMVel	39.6 m/s	44.07±3.5^a	22.3±21.42^b	30.06±19.01^b	<0.001^*
rSSDL	3.6 ms	3.24±1	3.33±1.54	2.34±2.28	0.495
rSSAmp	5 µV	17.5±7.17^a	5.12±6.13^b	9.19±6.67^c	<0.001^*
rSSVel	40 m/s	35.27±8.89^a	17.09±16.24^b	28±13.54^a	<0.001^*
lSSDL	3.6 ms	3.55±1.05	3.71±1.71	2.56±2.43	0.495
lSSAmp	5 µV	15.59±6.06^a	5.45±6.49^b	9.24±6.1^c	<0.001^*
lSSVel	40 m/s	35.01±9.21^a	16.56±15.97^b	27.37±12.62^c	<0.001^*
FrCP	52 m/s	51.53±7.82^a	57.39±10.76^b	49.99±9.25^a	0.011^*
FrTP	52 m/s	52.18±6.09^a	56.28±8.34^a	50.08±7.53^a	0.001^*
FrM	32 m/s	30.74±4.96	33.44±7.33	30.91±6.37	0.051
FrU	32 m/s	28.23±4.55^a	31.26±4.58^b	29.04±6.32^a	0.002^*

* statistically significant differences are marked with different letters in superscript (Friedman test, followed by Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons). FrCP – F wave of right common peroneal nerve; FrM – F wave of right median nerve; FrTP – F wave of right tibial posterior nerve; FrU – F wave of right ulnar nerve; lSSAmp – left sural nerve sensory amplitude; lSSDL – left sural nerve sensory distal latency; lSSVel – left sural nerve sensory velocity; m/s – meter per second; mV – millivolt; ms – millisecond; µV – microvolt; rCPMAmp – right common peroneal nerve motor amplitude; rCPMDL – right common peroneal nerve motor distal latency; rCPMVel – right common peroneal nerve motor velocity; rMMAmp – right median nerve motor amplitude; rMMDL – right median nerve motor distal latency; rMMVel – right median nerve motor velocity; rMSAmp – right median nerve sensory amplitude; rMSDL – right median nerve sensory distal latency; rMSVel – right median nerve sensory velocity; rSSAmp – right sural nerve sensory amplitude; rSSDL – right sural nerve sensory distal latency; rSSVel – right sural nerve sensory velocity; rTPMAmp – right tibial posterior nerve motor amplitude; rTPMDL – right tibial posterior nerve motor distal latency; rTPMVel – right tibial posterior nerve motor velocity; rUMAmp – right ulnar nerve motor amplitude; rUMDL – right ulnar nerve motor distal latency; rUMVel – right ulnar nerve motor velocity; rUSAmp – right ulnar nerve sensory amplitude; rUSDL – right ulnar nerve sensory distal latency; rUSVel – right ulnar nerve sensory velocity

Table 4

Correlations between baseline electroneuromyography parameters and clinical scale scores at month 4 of follow-up

Baseline EMG parameters	Month 4
Baseline EMG parameters		NPRS	S-LANSS	FIM	ONLS
rMMDL	ϱ	−0.044	0.108	−0.380	0.325
	p	0.855	0.649	0.098	0.162
rMMAmp	ϱ	0.254	−0.326	−0.029	−0.164
	p	0.28	0.161	0.902	0.49
rMMVel	ϱ	−0.117	0.040	0.618^*	−0.675^*
	p	0.623	0.869	0.004	0.001
rMSDL	ϱ	−0.037	−0.042	−0.177	0.001
	p	0.878	0.861	0.454	0.997
rMSAmp	ϱ	−0.079	−0.083	0.289	−0.173
	p	0.742	0.729	0.217	0.466
rMSVel	ϱ	0.054	−0.266	0.078	−0.033
	p	0.820	0.257	0.745	0.891
rUMDL	ϱ	−0.251	−0.068	−0.047	0.309
	p	0.286	0.776	0.844	0.186
rUMAmp	ϱ	0.221	0.071	−0.358	0.205
	p	0.349	0.767	0.121	0.386
rUMVel	ϱ	0.091	−0.013	0.641^*	−0.448^*
	p	0.703	0.955	0.002	0.048
rUSDL	ϱ	−0.719^*	−0.190	0.169	−0.061
	p	<0.001	0.422	0.478	0.799
rUSAmp	ϱ	0.011	−0.05	0.012	−0.075
	p	0.964	0.835	0.961	0.754
rUSVel	ϱ	0.498^*	0.205	0.006	−0.097
	p	0.025	0.386	0.981	0.685
rCPMDL	ϱ	0.045	0.303	−0.499^*	0.157
	p	0.850	0.194	0.025	0.509
rCPMAmp	ϱ	−0.056	−0.031	0.415	−0.299
	p	0.814	0.897	0.069	0.200
rCPMVel	ϱ	−0.12	−0.143	0.474^*	−0.245
	p	0.615	0.548	0.035	0.298
rTPMDL	ϱ	0.283	−0.126	−0.358	0.303
	p	0.227	0.596	0.121	0.193
rTPMAmp	ϱ	−0.312	0.170	0.400	−0.251
	p	0.181	0.473	0.080	0.286
rTPMVel	ϱ	−0.19	0.183	0.384	−0.233
	p	0.423	0.439	0.095	0.323
rSSDL	ϱ	−0.216	0.004	−0.050	0.129
	p	0.359	0.987	0.835	0.588
rSSAmp	ϱ	0.210	−0.159	−0.083	0.150
	p	0.373	0.503	0.727	0.527
rSSVel	ϱ	0.125	0.021	−0.245	0.214
	p	0.601	0.93	0.298	0.365
lSSDL	ϱ	−0.164	−0.133	0.121	−0.053
	p	0.490	0.577	0.610	0.825
lSSAmp	ϱ	−0.066	−0.23	0.061	−0.005
	p	0.781	0.330	0.799	0.982
lSSVel	ϱ	0.174	0.132	−0.431	0.416
	p	0.463	0.578	0.057	0.068
FrCP	ϱ	0.246	−0.517	−0.516	0.533
	p	0.465	0.103	0.104	0.091
FrTP	ϱ	−0.155	−0.233	−0.353	0.271
	p	0.539	0.352	0.15	0.276
FrM	ϱ	−0.096	0.021	−0.43	0.352
	p	0.688	0.929	0.058	0.128
FrU	ϱ	−0.323	−0.174	−0.386	0.368
	p	0.164	0.464	0.093	0.111

* statistically significant correlation (ϱ – Sperman’s rank correlation coefficient: ϱ<0.4 – weak correlation; ϱ=0.4–0.6 – moderate correlation; ϱ=0.6–1.0 high correlation). EMG – electroneuromyography; FIM – Functional Independence Measure; FrCP – F wave of right common peroneal nerve; FrM – F wave of right median nerve; FrTP – F wave of right tibial posterior nerve; FrU – F wave of right ulnar nerve; lSSAmp – left sural nerve sensory amplitude; lSSDL – left sural nerve sensory distal latency; lSSVel – left sural nerve sensory velocity; NPRS – Numeric Pain Rating Scale; ONLS – Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale; rCPMAmp – right common peroneal nerve motor amplitude; rCPMDL – right common peroneal nerve motor distal latency; rCPMVel – right common peroneal nerve motor velocity; rMMAmp – right median nerve motor amplitude; rMMDL – right median nerve motor distal latency; rMMVel – right median nerve motor velocity; rMSAmp – right median nerve sensory amplitude; rMSDL – right median nerve sensory distal latency; rMSVel – right median nerve sensory velocity; rSSAmp – right sural nerve sensory amplitude; rSSDL – right sural nerve sensory distal latency; rSSVel – right sural nerve sensory velocity; rTPMAmp – right tibial posterior nerve motor amplitude; rTPMDL – right tibial posterior nerve motor distal latency; rTPMVel – right tibial posterior nerve motor velocity; rUMAmp – right ulnar nerve motor amplitude; rUMDL – right ulnar nerve motor distal latency; rUMVel – right ulnar nerve motor velocity; rUSAmp – right ulnar nerve sensory amplitude; rUSDL – right ulnar nerve sensory distal latency; rUSVel – right ulnar nerve sensory velocity; S-LANSS – Self-Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs Pain Scale

Table 5

Comparison of clinical scale scores between patients with normal and abnormal ulnar nerve motor conduction velocities at baseline

Clinical assessments	Ulnar nerve motor conduction velocities at baseline (mean ± SD)		p
Clinical assessments	Normal (n=11)	Abnormal (n=7)	p
NPRS baseline	7.77±1.74	7.86±1.21	0.683
NPRS month 4	8.62±1.39	9±1.15	0.591
NPRS month 12	4.38±3.25	4.71±2.29	0.600
S-LANSS baseline	12.57±2.37	16.69±6.56	0.163
S-LANSS month 4	18.14±2.54	18.46±5.36	0.968
S-LANSS month 12	3.86±8.21	8.31±9.97	0.297
FIM baseline	53.77±14.81	39.71±11	0.068
FIM month 4	44.31±16.96	22.14±7.69	0.003^*
FIM month 12	76.62±7.32	68±12.48	0.072
ONLS baseline	4.38±1.45	6.43±3.21	0.093
ONLS month 4	7.23±3.27	10.57±2.57	0.050^*
ONLS month 12	1.92±1.38	3.86±1.68	0.019^*

* statistically significant differences are marked with boldface (Mann-Whitney U test). FIM – Functional Independence Measure; NPRS – Numeric Pain Rating Scale; ONLS – Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale; SD – standard deviation; S-LANSS – Self-Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs Pain Scale

Table 6

Comparison of clinical scale scores between patients with normal and abnormal peroneal nerve motor conduction velocities at baseline

Clinical assessments	Peroneal nerve motor conduction velocities at baseline (mean ± SD)		p
Clinical assessments	Normal (n=14)	Abnormal (n=4)	p
NPRS baseline	7.63±1.51	7.92±1.62	0.551
NPRS month 4	8.42±1.31	9.25±1.16	0.136
NPRS month 12	4±2.78	4.83±3.04	0.530
S-LANSS baseline	11.88±2.47	17.5±6.27	0.020^*
S-LANSS month 4	18.13±2.1	18.5±5.66	0.846
S-LANSS month 12	5.38±8.73	7.67±10.13	0.553
FIM baseline	54.33±14.89	40.63±11.44	0.048^*
FIM month 4	44.5±17.09	24.63±11.55	0.009^*
FIM month 12	77.17±7	68.25±11.91	0.102
ONLS baseline	4.17±1.47	6.5±2.83	0.012^*
ONLS month 4	6.83±3.07	10.75±2.43	0.016^*
ONLS month 12	1.92±1.31	3.63±1.85	0.038^*

Table 7

Comparison of clinical scale scores between patients with normal and abnormal sural nerve sensory distal latency values at baseline

Clinical assessments	Sural nerve sensory distal latency values at baseline (mean ± SD)		p
Clinical assessments	Normal (n=11)	Abnormal (n=7)	p
NPRS baseline	7.77±1.36	7.86±1.95	0.569
NPRS month 4	8.43±1.51	8.92±1.19	0.457
NPRS month 12	4.31±2.75	4.86±3.34	0.717
S-LANSS baseline	13±4.28	19.43±6.05	0.023^*
S-LANSS month 4	17.08±3.75	20.71±5.09	0.151
S-LANSS month 12	5±8.77	10±10.41	0.128
FIM baseline	52.14±17.44	47.08±13.89	0.525
FIM month 4	46.29±20.9	31.31±14.14	0.113
FIM month 12	80.57±4.31	69.85±10.33	0.007^*
ONLS baseline	4.57±1.72	5.38±2.66	0.486
ONLS month 4	7.29±3.82	9±3.14	0.371
ONLS month 12	1.43±0.79	3.23±1.79	0.030^*

References

Authors

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4034 | Journal eISSN: 1848-6312 (formerly 0004-1254) | Journal ISSN: 0004-1254

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Language: English, Croatian

Page range: 28 - 38

Submitted on: Aug 1, 2025

Accepted on: Feb 1, 2026

Published on: Mar 30, 2026

Published by: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

electroneuromyography,

Functional Independence Measure,

motor conduction velocities,

muscle weakness,

numbness,

Numeric Pain Rating Scale,

Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale,

pain severity,

Self-Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs,

sensory disturbances

Related subjects:

Medicine,

Basic medical science,

Basic medical science, other

© 2026 Yusuf Koçak, Uğur Kulu, Tuba Demirer Çeker, Orhan Sümbül, Dürdane Aksoy, Betül Çevik, published by Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 77 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)

Coasting effect of n-hexane-induced neuropathy evidenced by electroneuromyography and clinical symptom scales: a 12-month follow-up study

Figures & Tables

Figure 1

Table 1