The H-reflex of the flexor carpi radialis muscle; a study in controls and radiation-induced brachial plexus lesions.
H-reflexes of the flexor carpi radialis muscle were studied in 52 controls and 25 cancer patients with radiation-induced brachial plexopathy. It was found that H-reflex conduction velocity (H-RCV) decreased with increasing age. This was not true for H-reflex latency (H-RL) and inter-latency times. There were no H-RCV and latency differences between age-matched male and female subjects. In the affected arm the reflex was absent in nine patients and delayed in 16 patients in whom H-RCV was decreased in 13 patients. Three patients showed large H-RL differences which were also notable features in median nerve disease in the region of the brachial plexus.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000528:radiation effects; D012023:Reflex, Monosynaptic / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000528:radiation effects