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Clinical and prognostic features in unilateral femoral neuropathies
Author(s) -
Kuntzer Thierry,
van Melle Guy,
Regli Franco
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199702)20:2<205::aid-mus11>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - medicine , femoral nerve , logistic regression , weakness , surgery , proportional hazards model , muscle weakness
We have examined the clinical features of patients with femoral neuropathy and the factors that influence the prognosis. Of 80 consecutive patients referred for neurophysiological evaluations of proximal lower limb weakness, 32 fulfilled strict inclusion criteria and had adequate information, including estimates of axon loss (AxL) by stimulation of the bilateral femoral nerve. In 31, the Kaplan‐Meier method was used to describe the time course of the outcome, while logistic regression was employed to determine the contributing factors. Excellent, satisfactory, and poor outcomes were seen in 10 (31%), 11 (34%), and 10 (31%) patients, respectively. Logistic regression analysis of seven factors demonstrated that the estimate of AxL was the only significant variable. The best prognostic factor was an estimate of AxL ≤ 50%, with all patients fulfilling this criterion showing improvement within 1 year; fewer than half the patients with AxL >50% should be expected to improve. This study clearly shows that, irrespective of the cause of femoral neuropathy, functional improvement is seen in 2 out of 3 patients within 2 years and that the estimate of AxL is the only factor influencing prognosis. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve , 20, 205–211, 1997.