Premium
T‐wave response: a sensitive test for latent alcoholic polyneuropathy
Author(s) -
Schott Klaus,
Schäfer Gerd,
Günthner Arthur,
Bartels Mathias,
Mann Karl
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1080/13556210220139532
Subject(s) - reflex , medicine , chronic alcoholic , subclinical infection , polyneuropathy , anesthesia , gastroenterology
To date, the H‐reflex is the most sensitive test to measure nerve conduction velocity in alcoholic polyneuropathy. Analogous to the H‐reflex, we investigated the T‐wave response from the soleus muscle using a hand‐held reflex hammer. Twenty‐four inpatients suffering from chronic alcoholism and 24 healthy volunteers were recruited. All probands had a careful neurological examination and were graded (PNP‐classifications). The T‐ and H‐reflexes were measured. In the clinical examination, only a few patients exhibited symptoms of alcoholic PNP. However, when the autonomic nervous system was also tested, 50% exhibited signs of alcoholic PNP. Both the T‐ and H‐reflex responses were pathologically retarded, indicating latent alcoholic PNP in 60% of the patients. Thus the main finding in our study is the difference between clinical and electrophysiological examinations: only a few of the patients had neurological symptoms for alcoholic PNP but 14 patients (60%) exhibited a so‐called latent, subclinical alcoholic PNP by showing delayed reflex latencies. Measuring the T‐wave proved to be a simple and painless screening method for diagnosis and monitoring of alcoholic PNP. Among the clinical tests the best indicator for alcoholic PNP was the test for autonomous alcoholic PNP.