Involvement of distal sensory nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Muscle Nerve. 2016 Dec;54(6):1086-1092. doi: 10.1002/mus.25157. Epub 2016 Oct 7.

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.

Keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; dorsal sural; medial plantar; nerve conduction studies; neuropathy; sensory.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / diagnosis*
  • Electrodiagnosis
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Functional Laterality
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neural Conduction / physiology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Sural Nerve / physiopathology*
  • Tibial Nerve / physiopathology*