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Macroelectromyography in progressive post‐polio muscular atrophy
Author(s) -
Bednařík J.,
Kadaňka Z.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.1996.tb00202.x
Subject(s) - medicine , atrophy , weakness , poliomyelitis , biceps , mann–whitney u test , muscle weakness , surgery , cardiology , pathology
A prospective 2‐year clinical and macro‐EMG follow up was completed in 30 post‐polio survivors (19 women and 11 men, aged from 46 to 62 years). The median macro‐MUPs amplitudes from either biceps brachii or tibial anterior muscles were estimated. A decrease in muscle strength > 1 MRC grade in the tested extremity was found in five patients (fulfilling criteria for progressive post‐polio muscle atrophy‐PPMA), and 17 post‐polio patients complained of new weakness (Including five PPMA subjects). In seven healthy volunteers the changes in the median macro‐MUPs amplitudes on serial examination varied from −18.8 to +22.4%. In 13 clinically stable patients the change in macro‐MUPs amplitude over 2 years did not exceed 25% of the initial value, in comparison with nine of 17 patients with new complaints displaying a > 25% change in the macro‐MUPs amplitude, with predominant decrease (6 of 9). All five PPMA patients showed a >25% change in the macro‐MUPs amplitude with predominant decrease (+ 33, −27, −42, −50 and −60%). There was a statistically significant difference in the change of the median macro‐MUPs amplitudes between PPMA group ( n − 5) and post‐polio patients without objective decline in muscle strength ( n = 25; p < 0.05; the Mann–Whitney U test). These findings support the hypothesis of the distal degeneration of abnormally enlarged motor units as a cause of PPMA and show the usefulness of serial measurement in the assessment of PPMA.