title: The primary role of the Erb's point--axilla segment in median and ulnar motor nerve conduction determinations in alcoholic neuropathy.
abstract: Motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) was explored in the Erb's point-axilla (N-A) nerve segment of median and ulnar nerves, bilaterally, in 10 patients with a history of prolonged heavy drinking but in whom no other predisposing factors to peripheral neuropathy were found. For comparison, MNCV was determined also in the axilla-elbow (A-E), elbow-wrist (E-W) nerve segments, as well as the motor terminal latency (MTL) of the same nerves. A total of 140 nerve segments were tested tested but only 133 results were obtained. Abnormal MNCV or MTL was found in 36 or 27% of all tested nerve segments. From the latter, 38.9% were in the N-A nerve segments. Of N-A nerve segments tested, reduction in MNCV was found in 46.7%. Our results are statistically significant.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*