Document Detail


Significance of sensory evoked potentials in the diagnosis of polyneuropathy
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  3792983     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In 172 patients suffering from neuropathies of different aetiologies (diabetic, uraemic, inflammatory, hereditary, alcoholic, cryptogenic) the SEP findings (cortical median and sural nerve SEP, cervical median nerve SEP, Erb's point potential) were compared with the results of conventional sensory and motor electroneurography (ENG) and with clinical signs. SEP's yielded a high percentage of abnormalities. Thus in 5 of the 6 groups the sural nerve SEP presented an unequivocal latency prolongation in 55 to 75% of the patients, in HMSN-I-patients even in 100%. Also well over 50% of the median nerve evoked potentials were outside the normal range. In many cases the delay of the SEP's simply reflected the impairment of conduction within the peripheral nerve fibres as documented by ENG; here the ENG was naturally even more sensitive in detecting slight distal conduction disturbance, which did not shift the SEP latency outside the normal range. However, in a certain percentage that varied in the different aetiological groups, the SEP's demonstrated an impairment of conduction within the proximal segments of the sensory system not accessible to conventional ENG technique. Thus, in 15 to 25% of the patients with diabetic, uraemic, inflammatory and cryptogenic neuropathies, pathological SEP findings were combined with normal results of the ENG examination. In no case this "proximal" conduction disturbance affected the "central conduction" between the cervical spinal cord and the cortex. A more detailed differentiation was often impossible: A prolonged conduction time between brachial plexus and cervical cord could not be subdivided further due to the lack of the SEP component representing the "spinal entry of the afferent volley". SEP's--especially the cortical SEP's--can be reliably recorded even if a peripheral sensory nerve action potential is lacking; in these cases the extent of the conduction disturbance is documented only by the--practically always demonstrable--delay of the SEP. Nearly without exception, pronounced latency prolongations were seen only in cortical SEP's because in these cases the subcortical components could no longer be identified. Two types of considerably delayed cortical SEP's could be distinguished: Potentials of abnormal shape, where the complete extinction of the initial complex had to be assumed: the latency prolongation cannot be equated with the actual conduction delay. Completely normal-shaped potentials whose latency times evidently reflected the real delay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Authors:
P Vogel
Publication Detail:
Type:  English Abstract; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie     Volume:  54     ISSN:  0720-4299     ISO Abbreviation:  Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr     Publication Date:  1986 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1987-02-17     Completed Date:  1987-02-17     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8103137     Medline TA:  Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr     Country:  GERMANY, WEST    
Other Details:
Languages:  ger     Pagination:  305-17     Citation Subset:  IM    
Vernacular Title:
Zur Bedeutung sensibel evozierter Potentiale (SEP) in der Polyneuropathie-Diagnostik.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Afferent Pathways / physiopathology
Alcoholism / complications
Brachial Plexus / physiopathology
Diabetic Neuropathies / diagnosis
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory*
Humans
Median Nerve / physiopathology
Motor Neurons / physiology
Peroneal Nerve / physiopathology
Polyneuropathies / diagnosis*,  genetics,  physiopathology
Polyradiculoneuropathy / diagnosis
Reaction Time / physiology
Sural Nerve / physiopathology
Uremia / complications

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Interaction of bilirubin with human lymphocytes and granulocytes--the effect on bilirubin metabolism...
Next Document:  Psychoses of physical origin--traditional interpretation and DSM III nomenclature