Concentric needle jitter on stimulated frontalis and extensor digitorum in 20 myasthenia gravis patients: Stimulation CNE Jitter in MG

Bedside and laboratory diagnostic testing in myasthenia

Myasthenia gravis (MG) and congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a group of disorders with a well characterised autoimmune or genetic and neurophysiological basis. We reviewed the literature from the last 20 years assessing the utility of various neurophysiological, immunological, provocative and genetic tests in MG and CMS. Diagnostic sensitivity of repetitive nerve stimulation test ranges between 14 and 94% and specificity between 73 and 100%; sensitivity of single-fibre EMG (SFEMG) test ranges between 64 and 100% and specificity between 22 and 100%; anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody sensitivity ranges from 13 to 97% and specificity ranges from 95 to 100%. Overall, SFEMG has the highest sensitivity while positive anti-AChR antibodies have the highest specificity. Newer testing strategies that have been investigated over the last couple of decades include ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials, otoacoustic emissions and disease-specific circulating miRNAs in serum for autoimmune myasthenia, as well as next-generation sequencing for genetic testing of CMS. While there has been significant progress in developing newer testing strategies for diagnosing MG and CMS over the last couple of decades, more research is needed to assess the utility of these newer tools regarding their sensitivity and specificity.

Dispersion of mean consecutive differences in single-fiber electromyography increases diagnostic sensitivity for myasthenia gravis

INTRODUCTION

In this study we aimed to investigate the dispersion of mean consecutive difference (MCD) of concentric needle jitter studies of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and its effect on diagnostic sensitivity for MG.

METHODS

One hundred fifty-three patients, including 76 patients with MG and 77 controls with possible MG who later received another diagnosis, underwent stimulated concentric needle jitter studies of the frontalis muscle. MCD mean, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses.

RESULTS

MG patients showed a significantly greater MCD mean (MG: control, 26.3 μs; 13.5 μs [median]; P < .0001), MCD SD (MG: control, 12.8 μs; 5.1 μs [median]; P < .0001), and MCD CV (MG: control, 46.1; 37.5 [median]; P < .001) than those without MG. An ROC curve of SD showed a large area under the curve (0.88), and a cut-off value of 7.2 μs, which was calculated by maximum Youden index, exhibited high diagnostic sensitivity (86%) for MG. Combined MCD mean, outliers, and SD criteria showed higher sensitivity (88%) than conventional criteria alone (82%), at the expense of lower specificity. Five MG patients with normal MCD mean and abnormal MCD SD had only ocular symptoms.

DISCUSSION

The dispersion of MCD as measured by MCD SD greater than 7.2 μs is significantly increased in patients with MG and may be a useful measure of abnormal jitter in the diagnosis of MG, especially for identifying patients with mild disease.

Concentric Needle Jitter in 97 Myasthenia Gravis Patients

Objectives: To estimate the jitter parameters (single-fiber electromyography) in myasthenia gravis patients mostly by electrical activation in Frontalis, Orbicularis Oculi, and Extensor Digitorum muscles using a concentric needle electrode. Methods: Between 2009 and 2019, a total of 97 myasthenia gravis patients, 52 male, and mean age 54 years were included. Results: Any abnormal jitter parameter in individual muscles was 90.5% (Frontalis), 88.5% (Orbicularis Oculi), and 86.6% (Extensor Digitorum). Any jitter parameter combining Orbicularis Oculi and Frontalis muscle was abnormal in 100% for the ocular, and in 92.9% for the generalized myasthenia gravis. The most abnormal muscle was Orbicularis Oculi for the generalized, and Frontalis for the ocular myasthenia gravis. The decrement was abnormal in 78.4%, 85.9% for the generalized, and 25% for the ocular myasthenia gravis. The mean jitter ranged from 14.2 to 86 μs (mean 33.3 μs) for the ocular myasthenia gravis and from 14.4 to 220.4 μs (mean 66.3 μs) for the generalized myasthenia gravis. The antibody titers tested positive in 86.6%, 91.8% for the generalized, and 50% for the ocular myasthenia gravis. Thymectomy was done in 48.5%, thymoma was found in 19.6%, and myasthenic crisis occurred by 21.6%. Conclusion: The jitter parameters achieved a 100% abnormality in ocular myasthenia gravis if both the Orbicularis Oculi and Frontalis muscles were tested. There was a high jitter abnormality in generalized myasthenia gravis cases with one muscle tested, with about a 2% increase in sensitivity when a second is added. Concentric needle electrode jitter had high sensitivity similar to the single fiber electrode (93.8%), followed by antibody titers (86.6%), and abnormal decrement (78.4%).

Electrophysiological study of neuromuscular junction in congenital myasthenic syndromes, congenital myopathies, and chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia

This study was designed to analyze the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of jitter parameters combined with repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) in congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO), and congenital myopathies (CM). Jitter was obtained with a concentric needle electrode during voluntary activation of the Orbicularis Oculi muscle in CMS (n = 21), CPEO (n = 20), and CM (n = 18) patients and in controls (n = 14). RNS (3 Hz) was performed in six different muscles for all patients (Abductor Digiti Minimi, Tibialis Anterior, upper Trapezius, Deltoideus, Orbicularis Oculi, and Nasalis). RNS was abnormal in 90.5% of CMS patients and in only one CM patient. Jitter was abnormal in 95.2% of CMS, 20% of CPEO, and 11.1% of CM patients. No patient with CPEO or CM presented a mean jitter higher than 53.6 µs or more than 30% abnormal individual jitter (> 45 µs). No patient with CPEO or CM and mild abnormal jitter values presented an abnormal decrement. Jitter and RNS assessment are valuable tools for diagnosing neuromuscular transmission abnormalities in CMS patients. A mean jitter value above 53.6 µs or the presence of more than 30% abnormal individual jitter (> 45 µs) strongly suggests CMS compared with CPEO and CM.

Assessing neuromuscular junction stability from stimulated EMG in children

OBJECTIVE

We present our 9-year experience of stimulated EMG potential analysis using concentric electrodes (SPACE) to evaluate neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disorders in awake children. The technique uses high frequency filtration of stimulated motor unit potentials and applies peak detection software to estimate mean consecutive difference (MCD).

METHODS

SPACE was carried out in orbicularis oculi of 878 children (377 girls; median age 47months) between 2007 and 2015, stimulating the facial nerve with a monopolar cathode. Mean MCD-index (MCD-I) was expressed as a ratio of the measured MCD to the upper normal limit. Diagnostic accuracy was calculated for primary NMJ disorders based on the 660 cases with clinical follow-up data.

RESULTS

Primary NMJ disorders were present in 106 children, including 46 with genetically confirmed congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS). Mean MCD-I was two times higher in children with primary NMJ disorders compared to others (205±108μs vs 94±38μs, p<0.005). After excluding children with neuronopathies, an MCD-I >100% had 84% sensitivity and 74% specificity for the primary NMJ disorders. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve identified an MCD-I >115% as providing best diagnostic accuracy with sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 84%.

CONCLUSION

SPACE is practicable and safe in unsedated children.

SIGNIFICANCE

In combination with routine EMG, it has high diagnostic accuracy and can facilitate recognition of paediatric NMJ transmission disorders.

Jitter analysis with concentric needle electrodes

Because of certain restrictions in medical praxis, reusable materials are only allowed in some countries. This also applies to electrodes for electromyography; the special single-fiber electromyography electrode must be replaced. This article gives some details of the possibilities of using an alternative-a small concentric needle electrode. Practical hints, reference values, and the application in diagnostic work for myasthenia gravis are summarized.

Stimulated jitter with concentric needle in 42 myasthenia gravis patients

Objective: To estimate jitter parameters in myasthenia gravis in stimulated frontalis and extensor digitorum muscles using the concentric needle electrode. Methods: Forty-two confirmed myasthenia gravis patients, being 22 males (aged 45.6±17.2 years-old) were studied. Jitter was expressed as the mean consecutive difference (MCD). Results: MCD in extensor digitorum was 61.6 µs (abnormal in 85.7%) and in frontalis 57.3 µs (abnormal in 88.1%). Outliers represented 90.5% for extensor digitorum and 88.1% for frontalis. At least one jitter parameter was abnormal in 90.5% of the combined studies. Acetylcholine receptor antibody was abnormal in 85.7% of the cases. Conclusions: Stimulated jitter recordings measured from muscles using concentric needle electrode can be used for myasthenia gravis diagnosis with high sensitivity. Extensive normative studies are still lacking and, therefore, borderline findings should be judged with great caution.

Electrodiagnosis of disorders of neuromuscular transmission

This article reviews the use of electrodiagnostic testing in disorders of neuromuscular transmission and discusses the differences between various presynaptic and postsynaptic disorders. Attention is paid to quality control issues that influence the sensitivity of repetitive nerve stimulation and single fiber electromyography. Electrodiagnostic testing, when used as an extension of the clinician's history and physical examination, will provide appropriate direction in establishing the diagnosis.