PROXIMAL CONDUCTION VELOCITY OVER H-REFLEX ARC IN MALNOURISHED CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Malnutrition in children affects the development and function of every organ system including the peripheral and central nervous systems. Hoffmann reex (H-reex) is an important neurological screening tool, especially in the paediatric population. Conduction velocity over the H-reex arc has been used to assess proximal motor and sensory pathways. The present study attempted to demonstrate slowed conduction over H-reex arc in malnourished children below ve years of age. MATERIALAND METHODS We studied 82 under-ve children with protein-energy malnutrition. 60 age-matched healthy children served as control subjects. As proximal conduction velocity over H-reex arc changes with age, study subjects were divided into four groups on the basis of age. Based on the degree of malnutrition, the patients were further divided into two groups. The H-reex was recorded from soleus muscle by stimulating posterior tibial using Neuro perfect EMG/NCV/EPSYSTEM (Medicaid systems, Chandigarh,160002, India). RESULTS The conduction velocity over the soleus H-reex arc was signicantly decreased in severely malnourished children. However, conduction velocity over the soleus H-reex arc in the children suffering from mild-to-moderate malnutrition was comparable with normal children. CONCLUSION The ndings suggest that severely malnourished children demonstrate slowed postnatal peripheral neural maturation. Conduction over the soleus H-reex arc was signicantly decreased in severely malnourished children.