Somatosensory evoked potentials reflect the upper limb motor performance in multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this multicentric study was to multidimensionally evaluate the relationship among somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) parameters, patient's perspective and clinical measures of the upper limb impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
We consecutively enrolled 39 MS patients. For median nerve SEPs we acquired the N9, P14, N20 responses and the N9-P14 and P14-N20 interpeak latencies on the dominant side. We also used a validated patient-oriented questionnaire (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand - DASH) and a test of dexterity quantification as the 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT).


RESULTS
A significant longer time to complete the 9-HPT (p<0.00006) was observed in patients with abnormal SEPs. Patients with undetectable N20 or P14 responses performed the 9-HPT in a significant longer time than patients with detectable responses (p<0.0006 and p<0.001 respectively). Concerning the perspective of patient (evaluated with the DASH questionnaire) significant differences in patients with undetectable P14 response (p<0.01) were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data provide further information useful for interpretation of SEPs results, being the median nerve SEPs related to the upper limb performance in MS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These data increase the significance of SEPs both in clinical practice and in experimental studies in MS.
Nociti
Viviana
V
Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Roma, Italy.
Batocchi
Anna Paola
AP
Bartalini
Simona
S
Caggiula
Marcella
M
Patti
Francesco
F
Profice
Paolo
P
Quattrone
Aldo
A
Tonali
Pietro
P
Ulivelli
Monica
M
Valentino
Paola
P
Virdis
Daniela
D
Zappia
Mario
M
Padua
Luca
L
D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology