Faculty Collaboration Database

Comparison of linear regression and probit analysis for detecting H-reflex threshold in individuals with and without spinal cord injury. Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol 2004;44(3):153-9

Date

05/06/2004

Pubmed ID

15125055

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-1942486885 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   4 Citations

Abstract

A major challenge to understanding spinal reflex organization in health and disease is identifying sensitive measures of reflex excitability. The purpose of this study was to determine whether linear regression or probit analysis techniques are more sensitive for detecting H-reflex and M-wave threshold and for identifying differences in H-reflex threshold in individuals with and without spinal cord injury (SCI). Soleus H-reflex recruitment curves were generated in 9 individuals with SCI and 20 able-bodied individuals. H-reflex and M-wave threshold was estimated using three different methods, two that used linear regression of H-reflex peak-to-peak amplitude and one that used probit analysis of quantal H-reflexes. Results indicate that in both groups all three techniques were equally sensitive for detecting H-reflex but not M-wave threshold. When H-reflex threshold was normalized to M-wave threshold, different techniques provided different estimates of H-reflex threshold. However, between-group differences (SCI vs. able-body) in H-reflex and M-wave threshold were not affected by the measurement techniques that were compared in this study. We conclude that these techniques provide equally sensitive estimates of H-reflex but not M-wave threshold in persons with and without SCI. Hence, caution should be used when interpreting normalized and non-normalized values of H-reflex threshold.

Author List

Schindler-Ivens SM, Shields RK

Author

Sheila Schindler-Ivens PhD Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy department at Marquette University

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

Adult
Electromyography
Female
H-Reflex
Humans
Linear Models
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Statistical
Motor Neurons
Muscle, Skeletal
Recruitment, Neurophysiological
Reference Values
Reflex, Abnormal
Sensory Thresholds
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
Spinal Cord Injuries