The flexor carpi radialis H-reflex in polyneuropathy: relations to conduction velocities of the median nerve and the soleus H-reflex latency.
In 80 controls latencies of flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and in 94 controls latencies of soleus H-reflexes correlated well with length of the extremity, body height and age. Multiple regression equations using latency as a variable dependent on age and body height can be best used in practice when both reflexes are employed for demonstration of proximal pathology. The majority (69%) of 93 patients with various polyneuropathies showed abnormalities in both reflexes illustrating that proximal nerve segments are frequently involved. Four per cent had abnormal FCR H-reflexes with normal soleus H-reflexes whereas the reverse was found in 19% of the patients. Abnormal FCR H-reflexes occurred with normal motor and sensory conduction velocities in the peripheral part of the median nerve in 14%, whereas the reverse was seen in 12%, indicating that FCR H-reflex examination is a valuable supplement to conventional conduction studies for detection of electrophysiologically existing pathology.
D000200:Action Potentials; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000843:Ankle Joint; D006181:H-Reflex; D006801:Humans; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012023:Reflex, Monosynaptic; D014955:Wrist Joint