Faculty Collaboration Database

Identifying lumbosacral radiculopathies: an optimal electromyographic screen. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2000;79(6):496-503

Date

11/18/2000

Pubmed ID

11083298

DOI

10.1097/00002060-200011000-00002

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0034326825 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   79 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine prospectively the optimal electromyographic screening examination of the lower limb that ensures identification of those lumbosacral radiculopathies that can be electrodiagnostically confirmed, yet minimizes the number of muscles studied.

DESIGN: A prospective multicenter study was conducted from May 1996 to September 1997. Patients with suspected lumbosacral radiculopathy referred to participating electrodiagnostic laboratories were recruited and examined by needle electromyography using a standard set of muscles. Patients with electrodiagnostically confirmed lumbosacral radiculopathies were selected for analysis. Various muscle screens were tested against this group of patients with radiculopathies to determine the frequency with which each screen identified the patient with radiculopathy.

RESULTS: There were 102 patients identified. When paraspinal muscles were one of the screening muscles, four-muscle screens identified 88-97% of the radiculopathies, five-muscle screens identified 94-98%, and six-muscle screens 98-100%. When paraspinal muscles were not part of the screen, identification rates were lower for all screens, and eight distal muscles were necessary to identify about 90% of the radiculopathies.

CONCLUSIONS: Six-muscle screens with paraspinal muscles yielded consistently high identification rates. Studying additional muscles produced no improvements in identification.

Author List

Dillingham TR, Lauder TD, Andary M, Kumar S, Pezzin LE, Stephens RT, Shannon S

Author

Liliana Pezzin PhD, JD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Electromyography
Female
Humans
Lumbosacral Region
Male
Middle Aged
Muscle, Skeletal
Prospective Studies
Radiculopathy
Statistics, Nonparametric