TY - JOUR
T1 - Motor unit number index (MUNIX) versus motor unit number estimation (MUNE): A direct comparison in a longitudinal study of ALS patients
AU - Boekestein, Werner A.
AU - Schelhaas, Helenius J.
AU - van Putten, Michel J.A.M.
AU - Stegeman, Dick F.
AU - Zwarts, Machiel J.
AU - van Dijk, Johannes P.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Objective
To evaluate how the motor unit number index (MUNIX) is related to high-density motor unit number estimation (HD-MUNE) in healthy controls and patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Methods
Both MUNIX and HD-MUNE were performed on the thenar muscles in 18 ALS patients and 24 healthy controls. Patients were measured at baseline, within 2 weeks, and after 4 and 8 months. Clinical evaluation included Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS).
Results
There was a significant positive correlation between MUNE and MUNIX values in ALS patients (r = 0.49 at baseline; r = 0.56 at 4 months; r = 0.56 at 8 months, all p < 0.05), but not in healthy controls. After 8 months, both MUNE and MUNIX values of the ALS patients decreased significantly more compared to MRC scale, ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in relative decline of MUNIX and HD-MUNE values.
Conclusions
In ALS patients, MUNIX and HD-MUNE are significantly correlated. MUNIX has an almost equivalent potential in detecting motor neuron loss compared to HD-MUNE.
AB - Objective
To evaluate how the motor unit number index (MUNIX) is related to high-density motor unit number estimation (HD-MUNE) in healthy controls and patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Methods
Both MUNIX and HD-MUNE were performed on the thenar muscles in 18 ALS patients and 24 healthy controls. Patients were measured at baseline, within 2 weeks, and after 4 and 8 months. Clinical evaluation included Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS).
Results
There was a significant positive correlation between MUNE and MUNIX values in ALS patients (r = 0.49 at baseline; r = 0.56 at 4 months; r = 0.56 at 8 months, all p < 0.05), but not in healthy controls. After 8 months, both MUNE and MUNIX values of the ALS patients decreased significantly more compared to MRC scale, ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in relative decline of MUNIX and HD-MUNE values.
Conclusions
In ALS patients, MUNIX and HD-MUNE are significantly correlated. MUNIX has an almost equivalent potential in detecting motor neuron loss compared to HD-MUNE.
KW - 22/4 OA procedure
U2 - 10.1016/j.clinph.2012.01.004
DO - 10.1016/j.clinph.2012.01.004
M3 - Article
SN - 1388-2457
VL - 123
SP - 1644
EP - 1649
JO - Clinical neurophysiology
JF - Clinical neurophysiology
IS - 8
ER -