Intra- and interobserver reliability of sensibility testing in asymptomatic individuals

Threshold and innervation density tests are common clinical tools used in t he evaluation of peripheral nerve injuries and compression syndromes. The p urpose of this study is to determine the inter- and intraobserver reliabili ty of Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and static and moving two-point discri mination in 48 volunteers. Kappa coefficients of inter- and intraexaminer a greement were generated for each test and investigator. The interexaminer r eliability for the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments ranged from fair to moder ate in the ulnar and median nerve distributions, and slight to moderate in static and moving two-point discrimination testing. Intraobserver reliabili ty for Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and static and moving two-point discr imination was slight to fair for both examiners. Our data indicate that Sem mes-Weinstein monofilaments and two-point discrimination tests yield unreli able measurements in asymptomatic individuals. Although useful in monitorin g neurological function in pathological states, threshold and innervation d ensity measurements from an unaffected digit or extremity may not represent a reliable standard for comparison of abnormal values.