Medial dorsal superficial peroneal nerve studies in patients with polyneuropathy and normal sural responses

• Published in: Muscle & nerve Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 386 - 389
• Main Authors: Kushnir, Mark, Klein, Colin, Kimiagar, Yitzhak, Pollak, Lea, Rabey, Jose M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-03-2005; Wiley
• Subjects: Action Potentials; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Cranial nerves. Spinal roots. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system. Gustation. Olfaction; Electrodiagnosis - standards; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electromyography; EMG; Female; H-Reflex; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; medial dorsal superficial peroneal nerve; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Motor Neurons; nerve conduction diagnostic sensitivity; Nervous system; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neural Conduction; Neurology; Peroneal Nerve - physiopathology; Polyneuropathies - diagnosis; Polyneuropathies - physiopathology; polyneuropathy; Reaction Time; Sensation; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Sural Nerve - physiopathology; Tibial Nerve - physiopathology; Human; Peroneal nerve; Nervous system diseases; Tibial nerve; H-Reflex; Polyneuropathy; Abductor hallucis muscle; Nerve conduction; Electrodiagnosis; Chronic; Sensitivity; Radial nerve; medial dorsal superficial peroneal nerve; Median nerve; Sensory nerve; Motor nerve; Peripheral nerve disease; nerve conduction diagnostic sensitivity; Needle electromyography; Sural nerve; F wave; EMG
• ISSN: 0148-639X; 1097-4598
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.20183

We studied medial dorsal superficial peroneal (MDSP) nerves in 52 patients with clinical evidence of mild chronic sensorimotor polyneuropathy and normal sural nerve responses, in order to assess the diagnostic sensitivity and usefulness of MDSP nerve testing in electrodiagnostic practice. To determine the effect of age on MDSP nerve parameters, 98 normal subjects were also examined. Electrodiagnostic evaluation involved studies of motor nerve conduction in tibial, peroneal, and median nerves; sensory nerve conduction in sural, MDSP, median, and radial nerves; tibial and peroneal nerve F waves; H reflexes from the soleus muscles; and needle electromyography of gastrocnemius and abductor hallucis muscles. Among the patients, 49% had low‐amplitude sensory responses in MDSP nerves and 57% had either slowing of sensory conduction velocity or no sensory responses on proximal stimulation. MDSP nerve amplitude, tibial nerve motor velocity, and H reflexes were the most sensitive for detection of mild chronic symmetrical axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. MDSP nerve testing should be included in the routine electrodiagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected polyneuropathy and normal sural nerve responses. Muscle Nerve, 2005