Journal CME, March 2024: Concordance between needle electromyography and manual muscle test findings for muscles with motor grades 0 and 1-PM R - 2023 - Lee - Concordance between needle electromyography and manual muscle test findings for muscles with motor

PM R - 2023 - Lee - Concordance between needle electromyography and manual muscle test findings for muscles with motor

Pdf Summary

The study conducted by Lee et al. aimed to evaluate the agreement between manual muscle tests (MMT) and needle electromyography (EMG) findings for muscles with motor grades 0 and 1 in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The research analyzed 107 patients and found a substantial agreement between MMT and needle EMG, indicating the potential use of needle EMG to improve prognostic capability for muscle function. In particular, muscles with proven motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) on needle EMG showed a higher rate of improvement in motor grades compared to those without MUAPs. This suggests that the presence of MUAPs may indicate a greater potential for muscle recovery over time. The study also highlighted the importance of accurately distinguishing between motor grades 0 and 1, especially for upper extremity muscles where distinguishing can be challenging. Additionally, the research presented cases where needle EMG findings influenced the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale grade, suggesting needle EMG as a valuable tool for evaluating AIS grade and prognosis. The study concluded that needle EMG could aid in providing more accurate evaluations, prognoses, and treatment goals in SCI patients. Further prospective studies are recommended to establish the clinical utility of needle EMG in SCI prognosis.

Keywords

manual muscle tests

needle electromyography

spinal cord injury

motor grades

motor unit action potentials

muscle recovery

upper extremity muscles

American Spinal Injury Association

Impairment Scale grade

prognosis