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F‐waves in neurogenic atrophy
Author(s) -
Petajan Jack H.
Publication year - 1985
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.880080811
Subject(s) - f wave , atrophy , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , medicine , abnormality , latency (audio) , endocrinology , cardiology , anatomy , nerve conduction velocity , disease , psychiatry , electrical engineering , engineering
Abstract F‐waves were determined in the peroneal nerves of 17 normal subjects, 11 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, and 13 patients with other disorders causing neurogenic atrophy (NA) in extensor digitorum brevis muscle. F‐waves were examined with regard to latency and waveform. Latency was increased above normal for both ALS and NA patients ( P < 0.024 and P < 0.003, respectively). In normal subjects, the mean number of repeated responses (same latency and waveform) was 1.9 ( r = 1.0–5.0), where 1.0 corresponds to no repeated response. In ALS patients, repeated responses were 2.9 ( r = 1.2–7.8), which is not significantly different from normal ( P < 0.099). In NA patients, repeated responses were 6.5 ( r = 1.6–23), which is significantly above normal ( P < 0.041). A dominant waveform occurred in 21.5% (mean) of responses in normal subjects ( r = 4%–58%). In ALS and NA, corresponding values were 40.3% ( r = 10%–88%) and 44.1% ( r = 17%–100%), both of which were significantly above normal ( P < 0.014 and P < 0.012, respectively). The distribution of F‐wave latencies is often nonrandom in normal, ALS, and NA subjects. The dominant F‐wave that was present in normal subjects and significantly increased in ALS and NA subjects may result from decreased numbers of motoneurons capable of contributing to the F‐response and would seem to be a useful additional measure of abnormality.