Enhanced sensory conduction in primary fibromyalgia: a case–control pilot study

Background This study aimed to test the changes in the conduction properties of peripheral nerves in patients with primary fibromyalgia (FM). Thirty patients with FM and sixteen healthy controls participated in this study. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain severity, pain duration, Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity (SS) scale, Hamilton depression rating scale, Taylor’s manifest anxiety scale, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) were used for measurement of psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life for each patient. Routine motor and sensory nerve conduction studies of both median, ulnar, common peroneal, posterior tibial, and sural nerves were measured for all study participants. Results We found statistically significant increase in Sensory Conduction Velocity (SCV), Sensory Nerve Action Potential (SNAP) amplitude, and decrease in Sensory Latency (SL) in patients with FM compared to controls. There were no significant changes in motor nerve conduction between patients and controls. Regression analysis showed a significant relation between WPI and both SCV and SL especially in nerves of upper limbs. However, no significant relation between SCV and SL and other presumed predictors including VAS for pain severity, pain duration, SS scale, FIQR, and psychiatric comorbidities. Patients with FM suffered more depression and anxiety than controls. Conclusions We found enhanced conductivity of the sensory rather than the motor nerves in patients with FM. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe these sensory changes which may add further evidence of peripheral sensitization in patients with FM.

Clinical and Electrophysiological Aspects of Charcot – Marie Tooth Disease- A Case Report of Two Patients

Aims/ Objectives: To study the importance of electrophysiological tests in diagnosing hereditary motor sensory neuropathy in absence of genetic studies. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Physiology, Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India. Methodology: The patients were referred from the Department of Medicine to the Department of Physiology for nerve conduction, F-wave, EMG, VEP & BERA studies. Results: On electrophysiological examination, there was symmetrical decreased motor conduction velocity of median nerve (less than 38 m/sec), ulnar, tibial and peroneal nerves except in the first patient where the left peroneal nerve conduction velocity was not recordable with decreased amplitude and increased distal motor latencies. Sensory conduction velocities for bilateral median nerves were also decreased with increased latency and decreased amplitude in both the patients. Sensory conduction velocity and amplitudes of bilateral sural nerves were decreased in the first patient with increased latencies. However, sensory conduction velocity wasn’t recordable for bilateral sural nerves in the other patient. EMG shows decrease in recruitment of motor unit potentials, amplitude in bilateral tibial, peroneous, abductor digiti minimi & 1st dorsal interosseus muscle in the first patient. In proximal upper & lower limb muscles, EMG showed features of denervation. In the second patient, EMG was not advised. VEP in one patient had increased latency of P100 wave & other had normal VEP. Brainstem auditory evoked potential was normal in both patients. Conclusion: The paper highlights the importance of electrophysiological studies in diagnosis of motor sensory neuropathy in absence of genetic studies. Marked slowing of conduction velocity is the hallmark of CMDT1 [demylinating type].

Electrophysiological Characterization of C9ORF72-Associated Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Retrospective Study

Objective: C9ORF72 is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The aim of the present study was to determine whether C9ORF72-associated ALS (C9-ALS) patients present distinctive electrophysiological characteristics that could differentiate them from non C9ORF72-associated ALS (nonC9-ALS) patients. Methods: Clinical and electrodiagnostic data from C9-ALS patients and nonC9-ALS patients were collected retrospectively. For electroneuromyography, the mean values of motor conduction, myography, and the mean values of sensory conduction were considered. Furthermore, the proportion of ALS patients with electrophysiological sensory neuropathy was determined. Results: No significant difference was observed between 31 C9-ALS patients and 22 nonC9-ALS patients for mean motor conduction and myography. For sensory conduction analyses, mean sensory conduction was not significantly different between both groups. In total, 38% of ­C9-ALS patient and 21% of nonC9-ALS patients presented electrophysiological sensory neuropathy (p = 0.33). In ­C9-ALS patients with electrophysiological sensory neuropathy, 80% (8/10) were male and 67% (6/9) presented spinal onset compare to 25% (4/16, p = 0.014) male and 25% (4/16, p = 0.087) with spinal onset in those without electrophysiological sensory neuropathy. Conclusion: Although not different from nonC9-ALS, these results suggest that sensory involvement is a frequent feature of C9-ALS patients, expanding the phenotype of the disease beyond the motor and cognitive domains.