title: Evaluation of extensor digitorum brevis thickness in healthy subjects: A comparative analysis of nerve conduction studies and ultrasound scans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) To evaluate the relationship between the thickness and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of the extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) muscle; (2) to obtain reference values for distal lower extremity muscle thickness as a possible measure of peripheral neuropathy; and (3) to evaluate various factors associated with unexplained EDB atrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the thickness of EDB, abductor hallucis brevis (AHB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles in 80 healthy volunteers with ultrasound and assessed EDB CMAP with fibular nerve stimulation. Two foot muscle-associated lifestyle factors were assessed and sociodemographic information was collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant correlation was observed between the amplitude of the fibular nerve CMAP and EDB thickness. The thickness of each of the three muscles was greater in men compared to women. EDB thickness decreased significantly with age although the thicknesses of the AHB and TA muscles were not correlated with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EDB thickness was closely associated with fibular nerve CMAP but with less variation and differed among groups by age and sex; it was not associated with lifestyle factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability to obtain this measure painlessly with ultrasound and its low variation recommend it as a potentially useful complementary measure of distal neuromuscular function.
authors: Department of Neurology, Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea.
authors: Jung Im
authors: JI
authors: Seok
authors: Department of Neurology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Electronic address: fwalker@wakehealth.edu.
authors: Francis O
authors: FO
authors: Walker
authors: Department of Medical Statistics & Informatics, Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea.
authors: Sang Gyu
authors: SG
authors: Kwak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Muscle Imaging; Muscle atrophy; Nerve conduction study; Polyneuropathy; Ultrasonography