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The diagnostic yield of quantified electromyography and quantified muscle biopsy in neuromuscular disorders
Author(s) -
Buchthal Fritz,
Kamieniecka Zofia
Publication year - 1982
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.880050403
Subject(s) - electromyography , myopathy , muscle biopsy , medicine , biopsy , histology , pathology , abnormality , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychiatry
Electromyography (EMG), histology, and histochemistry were related in 264 patients with neuromuscular disorders classified according to history and clinical and other laboratory findings. Electromyography and histological and histochemical abnormalities were divided in specific and nonspecific criteria. Specific histochemical criteria alone identified 28% of neurogenic lesions. Criteria of myopathy, obtained from the pattern of electrical activity during 30% of maximal effort, helped to delineate a myopathy when the only abnormality was an increased incidence of polyphasic potentials together with a pattern of full recuitment during maximal effort. Histology, histochemistry, or both, and EMG were concordant with clinical findings in 77% of 188 patients with myopathy and in 91% of 64 patients with neurogenic lesions. The electromyogram was concordant with the clinical classification in 87% of patients with myopathy and in 91% of patients with neurogenic impairment. The biopsy was in agreement with or contributed to the classification in 79% of patients with myopathy and in 92% of patients with neuropathy.