Abstract
IntroductionThe needle electromyography (EMG) serves to supply additional information in patients with suspected neuromuscular disorders. We aimed to provide motor unit potential (MUP) data by concentric needle EMG in the erector spinae (ES) in comparison with biceps brachii (BB) and lateral vastus (LV).MethodsElectromyography MUP data (n) were obtained in ES (517), BB (539), and LV (627) in 32 healthy volunteers (16f).ResultsMotor unit potential data: amplitude (μV) 393 ± 174 (ES), 375 ± 162 (BB), and 577 ± 304 (LV); duration (ms) 10.4 ± 2.4 (ES), 10.1 ± 2.1 (BB), and 11.1 ± 2.3 (LV), area (μV × ms) 585 ± 327 (ES), 538 ± 267 (BB), and 881 ± 492 (LV); phase number 3.23 ± 0.94 (ES), 2.98 ± 0.76 (BB), and 3.19 ± 0.81 (LV); size index 0.60 ± 0.56 (ES), 0.51 ± 0.53 (BB), and 0.96 ± 0.55 (LV). LV displayed higher values (p at least <.001) for MUP amplitude, duration, area, and size index as compared to both, BB and ES.ConclusionConcentric needle EMG investigations in healthy adult human subjects revealed similar MUP parameters in the ES and BB muscles, while in the LV muscle MUP amplitude, duration, area, and size index were significantly larger. Different neuromuscular disorders display a predominant involvement of proximally located muscles such as truncal muscles. The present results given here may facilitate the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders.
Highlights
The needle electromyography (EMG) serves to supply additional information in patients with suspected neuromuscular disorders
For concentric needle electrode investigations, normative values have repeatedly been published in few muscles such as biceps brachii (BB), or lateral vastus (LV) muscles (Barkhaus, Periquet, & Nandedkar, 1997; Bischoff, Stålberg, Falck, & Eeg-Olofsson, 1994; Doherty & Stashuk, 2003; Finsterer & Fuglsang-Frederiksen, 2000; McGill & Dorfman, 1985; Mische, 2014; Nandedkar, Barkhaus, & Charles, 1995; Podnar, 2009)
Routine EMG investigation of truncal muscles has been proposed to be mandatory in patients with, for example, inflammatory muscle disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Bromberg, 2004)
Summary
The needle electromyography (EMG) serves to supply additional information in patients with suspected neuromuscular disorders. We aimed to provide motor unit potential (MUP) data by concentric needle EMG in the erector spinae (ES) in comparison with biceps brachii (BB) and lateral vastus (LV). Conclusion: Concentric needle EMG investigations in healthy adult human subjects revealed similar MUP parameters in the ES and BB muscles, while in the LV muscle MUP amplitude, duration, area, and size index were significantly larger. The needle electromyography (EMG) technique serves to supply additional information in patients with suspected neuromuscular disorders.
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