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Global motor unit number index sum score for assessing the loss of lower motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Author(s) -
Grimaldi Stephan,
Duprat Lauréline,
Grapperon AudeMarie,
Verschueren Annie,
Delmont Emilien,
Attarian Shahram
Publication year - 2017
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.25595
Subject(s) - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , medicine , motor unit , deltoid curve , physical medicine and rehabilitation , electromyography , tibialis anterior muscle , physical therapy , anatomy , skeletal muscle , disease
We propose a motor unit number index (MUNIX) global sum score in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to estimate the loss of functional motor units. Methods MUNIX was assessed for 18 ALS patients and 17 healthy controls in 7 muscles: the abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM), tibialis anterior (TA), deltoid, trapezius, submental complex, and orbicularis oris. Results MUNIX was significantly lower in ALS patients than in healthy controls for the APB, ADM, TA, and trapezius muscles. The MUNIX sum score of 4 muscles (ADM + APB + trapezius + TA) was lower in ALS patients ( P = 0.01) and was correlated with clinical scores. Discussion The global MUNIX sum score proposed in this study estimates the loss of lower motor neurons in several body regions, including the trapezius, and is correlated with clinical impairment in ALS patients. Muscle Nerve 56 : 202–206, 2017