Relationship between median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials and spinal cord injury levels in patients with quadriplegia.
METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


OBJECTIVE
To observe if there is a relationship between the level of injury by the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) and cortical somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) recordings of the median nerve in patients with quadriplegia.


METHODS
Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic at the university hospital in Brazil.


METHODS
Fourteen individuals with quadriplegia and 8 healthy individuals were evaluated. Electrophysiological assessment of the median nerve was performed by evoked potential equipment. The injury level was obtained by ASIA. N(9), N(13) and N(20) were analyzed based on the presence or absence of responses. The parameters used for analyzing these responses were the latency and the amplitude. Data were analyzed using mixed-effect models.


RESULTS
N(9) responses were found in all patients with quadriplegia with a similar latency and amplitude observed in healthy individuals; N(13) responses were not found in any patients with quadriplegia. N(20) responses were not found in C5 patients with quadriplegia but it was present in C6 and C7 patients. Their latencies were similar to healthy individuals (P>0.05) but the amplitudes were decreased (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the SSEP responses depend on the injury level, considering that the individuals with C6 and C7 injury levels, both complete and incomplete, presented SSEP recordings in the cortical area. It also showed a relationship between the level of spinal cord injury assessed by ASIA and the median nerve SSEP responses, through the latency and amplitude recordings.
de Arruda Serra Gaspar
M I F
MI
Physiotherapy Course, Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Rehabilitation of Locomotor System, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Cliquet
A
A
Fernandes Lima
V M
VM
de Abreu
D C C
DC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D006801:Humans; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult