Premium
Diagnostic accuracy of electrodiagnostic testing in the evaluation of weakness
Author(s) -
Nardin Rachel A.,
Rutkove Seward B.,
Raynor Elizabeth M.
Publication year - 2002
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/mus.10192
Subject(s) - electromyography , medicine , weakness , diagnostic test , electrodiagnosis , diagnostic accuracy , medical diagnosis , muscle weakness , physical therapy , physical examination , physical medicine and rehabilitation , surgery , radiology , pediatrics
Electrodiagnostic testing is often used in the evaluation of patients presenting with weakness, but the diagnostic accuracy of the test in this setting is unknown. We prospectively identified 100 patients presenting to our electromyography (EMG) laboratory with the chief complaint of weakness, and compared their referring diagnosis with the electrophysiological diagnosis reached after electrodiagnostic testing. We reviewed each patient's medical record 9 months after EMG to yield a final diagnosis. Electrodiagnostic testing led to a single diagnosis in 79% of the cases; in 31%, this diagnosis was unsuspected by the referring clinician. Adequate follow‐up was available for 79% of the patients. The electrodiagnostic testing resulted in a single, correct diagnosis in 73% of the patients and provided more than one possible diagnosis, one of which was correct, in an additional 18%, for an overall diagnostic accuracy of 91% in this group of patients presenting with weakness. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Muscle Nerve 26: 201–205, 2002