Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of the T reflexes elicited from the
upper limb muscles during standardized volitional contraction monitored by a
real-time integrating electromyographic analyzer. DESIGN: Prospective descriptive
study. SETTING: Department of orthopedic surgery at a university hospital.
PARTICIPANTS: Healthy subjects (n=80) evenly distributed across decades of age
from 21 to 79 years, and 12 consecutive patients with a single cervical root
lesion based on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging studies and diagnostic
block. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Using a special
hammer, which externally triggers the sweep on skin contact, we evoked T reflexes
in the biceps (C5), brachioradialis (C6), triceps (C7), and the first dorsal
interosseous muscles (C8). RESULTS: Simultaneous regression analyses yielded
clinically useful upper limits of normative values for latencies, side-to-side
differences, and amplitude ratios adjusted to age and arm span. Comparison of the
T reflexes between the 2 sides localized the solitary root lesions with a high
sensitivity (92%), specificity (81%), and accuracy (83%). T-reflex studies proved
helpful to localize the lesion even in patients who solely complained of upper
limb pain. CONCLUSIONS: The T reflexes with a standardized facilitation of the
upper limb muscles provide a clinically useful, noninvasive measure to localize
the C5 to C8 radiculopathies. This study contributes in reassessing the currently
underused T reflex as an electrodiagnostic technique.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS