title: Motor unit number estimates correlate with strength in polio survivors.
abstract: Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) has been proposed as an outcome measure in clinical trials for the motor neuron diseases. One major criticism of MUNE is that it may not represent a clinically meaningful endpoint. We prospectively studied a cohort of polio survivors over a period of 15 years with respect to MUNE and strength. We identified a significant association between thenar MUNE and arm strength, extensor digitorum brevis MUNE and leg strength, and the summated MUNE and global strength of the polio survivors. These findings confirm the clinical relevance of MUNE as an outcome measure in the motor neuron diseases and provide further validation for its use in clinical trial research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. sorenson.eric@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Sorenson
authors.forename: Jasper R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Daube
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Windebank
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests