These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Clinical and electromyographic deep tendon reflexes in polyneuropathy: diagnostic value and prevalence*.
    Author: Sharma KR, Saadia D, Facca AG, Resnick S, Ayyar DR.
    Journal: Acta Neurol Scand; 2009 Apr; 119(4):224-32. PubMed ID: 18664243.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Evidence is accumulating that patients with polyneuropathy may present with normal clinical deep tendon reflexes (C-DTR). There are few studies that assessed the diagnostic utility of electromyographically recorded DTR (Er-DTR) in patients with polyneuropathy. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were twofold: (i) to evaluate the prevalence of preserved C-DTR in polyneuropathy; (ii) diagnostic value of Er-DTR latency measurement in patients with polyneuropathy. METHODS: We prospectively studied 38 controls and 185 patients with polyneuropathy. All subjects had evaluation of C-DTR, Er-DTR obtained from right biceps brachii (BR), right patellar (PR) and bilateral ankle reflexes (AR). RESULTS: Of these 185 patients, 118 (63.8%) had chronic axonal neuropathy (CAN), 49 (26.5%) demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (DPN) and 18 (9.7%) small fiber neuropathy (SFN). The C-DTR were normal in 65 patients whereas 39 of these 65 (60%) patients had abnormalities of Er-DTR at one or more sites. Er-DTR latencies in patients with polyneuropathies were prolonged at all sites compared with controls (P < 0.01). Among patients with various types of polyneuropathies the Er-DTR, mean latencies at all the sites and latency indicative of demyelination (>150% of the normal mean) were higher in patients with DPN than that of CAN or SFN (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that C-DTR are preserved in 35.1% of the patients with polyneuropathies and Er-DTR should be performed in such patients in order to provide electrophysiological evidence of a polyneuropathy. Er-DTR are useful in distinguishing axonal from demyelinating disorders of peripheral nerve, and detection of subclinical involvement of large fibers in SFN.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]