Premium
Decremental response of the nasalis and hypothenar muscles in myasthenia gravis
Author(s) -
Niks Erik H.,
Badrising Umesh A.,
Verschuuren Jan J.,
van Dijk J. Gert
Publication year - 2003
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.10411
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , repetitive nerve stimulation , neuromuscular transmission , medicine , stimulation , hand muscles , anatomy
Repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) is a standard diagnostic procedure in myasthenia gravis (MG). Although RNS sensitivity is highest in weak muscles, RNS is easier to perform in distal muscles that are often not affected. Twenty‐five patients with MG were assessed to compare the sensitivity of RNS of the nasalis muscle to that of the hypothenar muscles. Abnormal decrement was found in hypothenar muscles in 9 patients (36%) and in the nasalis muscle in 13 patients (52%). RNS of the nasalis muscle appeared more useful to detect abnormal neuromuscular transmission in patients with oculobulbar MG (5 of 5) than hypothenar RNS (1 of 5). In patients with generalized MG, hypothenar muscles had a similar yield of abnormal RNS tests. Muscle Nerve 28: 236–238, 2003