Involvement of distal sensory nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Published in: Muscle & nerve Vol. 54; no. 6; pp. 1086 - 1092
• Main Authors: Isak, Baris, Tankisi, Hatice, Johnsen, Birger, Pugdahl, Kirsten, Torvin MØLler, Anette, Finnerup, Nanna Brix, Christensen, Peter BrØGger, Fuglsang-Frederiksen, Anders
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Action Potentials - physiology; Adult; Aged; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - diagnosis; dorsal sural; Electrodiagnosis; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Functional Laterality; Humans; Male; medial plantar; Middle Aged; nerve conduction studies; Neural Conduction - physiology; neuropathy; sensory; Severity of Illness Index; Statistics as Topic; Sural Nerve - physiopathology; Tibial Nerve - physiopathology; neuropathy; dorsal sural; sensory; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; medial plantar; nerve conduction studies
• ISSN: 0148-639X; 1097-4598; 1097-4598
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.25157

ABSTRACT Introduction The diagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) require normal sensory nerve conduction studies (NCS) or abnormal NCS only in the presence of neuropathy of identified etiology. In this study, we investigated the presence and extent of involvement of Aß sensory fibers in ALS. Methods Distal sensory NCS [antidromic dorsal sural (DS) and orthodromic medial plantar (MP)] and conventional sensory NCS (unilateral median sensory and bilateral sural nerves) were performed in 16 definite and 2 probable ALS patients (based on Awaji criteria) and 31 controls. Results Abnormal conventional sensory NCS were found in 8 (44.4%) ALS patients and 1 (3.2%) control subject (P = 0.002), whereas abnormal distal sensory NCS were found in 12 (66.7%) ALS patients and 3 (9.6%) controls (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Distal sensory NCS were more often abnormal than conventional sensory NCS in ALS. Muscle Nerve 54: 1086–1092, 2016