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Muscle‐fiber conduction velocity and electromyography as diagnostic tools in patients with suspected inflammatory myopathy: A prospective study
Author(s) -
Blijham Paul J.,
Hengstman Gerald J.D.,
Ter Laak Henk J.,
Van Engelen Baziel G.M.,
Zwarts Machiel J.
Publication year - 2004
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.10519
Subject(s) - electromyography , myopathy , medicine , nerve conduction velocity , inflammatory myopathy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , prospective cohort study
Combinations of different techniques can increase the diagnostic yield from neurophysiological examination of muscle. In 25 patients with suspected inflammatory myopathy, we prospectively performed needle electromyography (EMG) and measured muscle‐fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) in a single muscle, using a technique with direct muscle‐fiber stimulation and recording. Results of MFCV were compared with final diagnosis, EMG, and needle muscle biopsy. Diagnostic accuracy of combined MFCV and EMG studies was 72%, compared to 60% for EMG alone. This improvement was due to a gain in specificity. The MFCV did not prove useful in discriminating inflammatory myopathy from other myopathies. Furthermore, we found a correlation of 92% between variability of MFCV and myopathic changes in muscle biopsy. We conclude that the utility of electrodiagnostic examination can be increased if EMG examination is combined with MFCV studies. Muscle Nerve 29: 46–50, 2004