title: Intra- and inter-rater reliability of motor unit number estimation and quantitative motor unit analysis in the upper trapezius.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To collect normative data and assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability of decomposition-enhanced spike-triggered averaging (DE-STA) motor unit number estimation (MUNE) and quantitative MU analysis obtained using decomposition-based quantitative electromyography (DQEMG) in the upper trapezius (UT).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 10 control subjects, the experimental protocol was performed twice by the same examiner, and once by a second examiner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean MUNE values were 339±121 (rater 1a), 320±131 (rater 1b), and 262±115 (rater 2) MUs. Intra- and inter-rater reliability was good for maximum CMAP (ICC=0.77 and 0.79, respectively) and moderate for MUNE (ICC=0.69 and 0.73, respectively), with poor inter-rater reliability for mean S-MUP (ICC=0.42). Significant differences between rater 1a and 2 were found for mean S-MUP (p=0.014) and MUNE (p=0.002), and moderate to good levels of reliability found for quantitative needle-detected MUP parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Various components of the protocol may have contributed to mean S-MUP variability, and may require particular attention in a large, proximal muscle like the UT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has established preliminary data using DQEMG in a novel muscle which may be relevant to study in patients with ALS.
authors.affiliation: Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. cives@uwo.ca
authors.forename: Colleen T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Ives
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Doherty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results