title: Association Between Rectus Abdominis Denervation and Ventilation Dysfunction in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spontaneous potentials in electromyography (EMG) of paraspinal muscles are associated with diaphragm denervation and, therefore, poor respiratory function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is understandable. EMG changes in the rectus abdominis (RA) display an effect similar to those in paraspinal muscles with respect to the function of lower motor neurons in the thoracic spinal cord. The RA denervation was examined to determine its association with ventilation dysfunction in ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected the clinical data of 128 patients with sporadic ALS in Department of Neurology of Peking University Third Hospital from 2009 to 2013. EMG, Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were performed in all patients and the differences in the EMG changes in RA between those with and without FVC ≥ 80% were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean FVC value was 83.4% ± 17.1% (range: 45%-131%) of the predicted value. A total of 79 patients displayed FVC ≥80%, and 49 patients displayed FVC <80%. Compared with the patients displaying a normal FVC (60/79, 75.9%), spontaneous activity in RA was significantly different among those patients displaying an FVC <80% (47/49, 95.9%). In addition, spontaneous potentials in RA were more frequently detected in patients exhibiting dyspnea (32/33, 97.0%) than in patients without dyspnea (75/95, 78.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spontaneous potentials in RA are associated with ventilation dysfunction and dyspnea in ALS patients.
authors: Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors: Hua-Gang
authors: HG
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors: Shuo
authors: S
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors: Ying-Sheng
authors: YS
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
authors: Dong-Sheng
authors: DS
authors: Fan
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D064170:Paraspinal Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000294:innervation*; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult