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Motor evoked potentials in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder grade II
Affiliations- Department of Neurology, University Hospital no. 2, Bydgoszcz, Poland
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Abstract
It is common belief that psychological problems influence the persistence of complains in patients with so-called mild whiplash-associated disorders (WADs). The usefulness of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) is investigated in patients with grade II WAD and remaining complains for more than 6 months.
Patients and methodsTwenty consecutive patients, aged between 24 and 58 years, with persistent neck pain for months after a car accident were included. All patients had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine and cord. Central (CMCT) and peripheral motor conduction times (PMCT) were evaluated by registration in the biceps brachii muscle (C5–C6) and in the abductor digiti minimi muscle (C7–C8–Th1).
ResultsThirteen patients had prolonged CMCT or/and PMCT compared to 7 with normal values. On MRI discus bulging C5–C6, without abnormal signal changes in the cervical spinal cord was observed in 6 of the patients with disturbed MEPs compared to 3 without. Out of 7 patients, who had repeated MEPs after 6 months, 3 of them had an improvement of their conduction time. The patients with prolonged MEP conduction times were older than those with normal values (p=0.007).
ConclusionsMEP examination has to be performed in all patients with persistent complains even in the absence of objective neurological signs and non-significant changes on imaging.
Abstract
It is common belief that psychological problems influence the persistence of complains in patients with so-called mild whiplash-associated disorders (WADs). The usefulness of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) is investigated in patients with grade II WAD and remaining complains for more than 6 months.
Patients and methodsTwenty consecutive patients, aged between 24 and 58 years, with persistent neck pain for months after a car accident were included. All patients had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine and cord. Central (CMCT) and peripheral motor conduction times (PMCT) were evaluated by registration in the biceps brachii muscle (C5–C6) and in the abductor digiti minimi muscle (C7–C8–Th1).
ResultsThirteen patients had prolonged CMCT or/and PMCT compared to 7 with normal values. On MRI discus bulging C5–C6, without abnormal signal changes in the cervical spinal cord was observed in 6 of the patients with disturbed MEPs compared to 3 without. Out of 7 patients, who had repeated MEPs after 6 months, 3 of them had an improvement of their conduction time. The patients with prolonged MEP conduction times were older than those with normal values (p=0.007).
ConclusionsMEP examination has to be performed in all patients with persistent complains even in the absence of objective neurological signs and non-significant changes on imaging.
Keywords
Whiplash-associated disorders, Motor evoked potentials, Magnetic resonance imaging, Spinal cord injury, Outcome
About this articleTitle
Motor evoked potentials in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder grade II
Journal
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
Issue
Pages
372-374
Page views
214
Article views/downloads
360
DOI
10.1016/j.pjnns.2017.06.009
Bibliographic record
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2017;51(5):372-374.
Keywords
Whiplash-associated disorders
Motor evoked potentials
Magnetic resonance imaging
Spinal cord injury
Outcome
Authors
Jacques De Reuck
