Dougho Park1,2, Sang-Eok Lee3, Jae Man Cho4, Joong Won Yang4, Donghoon Yang4, Mansu Kim4, Heum Dai Kwon4. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pohang Stroke and Spine Hospital, 352, Huimang-daero, 37659, Pohang, Republic of Korea. parkdougho@gmail.com. 2. Department of Medical Science and Engineering, School of Convergence Science and Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea. parkdougho@gmail.com. 3. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pohang Stroke and Spine Hospital, 352, Huimang-daero, 37659, Pohang, Republic of Korea. 4. Department of Neurosurgery, Pohang Stroke and Spine Hospital, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Root motor conduction time (RMCT) can noninvasively evaluate the status of the proximal root segment. However, its clinical application remains limited, and wider studies regarding its use are scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between C8/T1 level radiculopathy and RMCT. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Subjects were extracted from a general hospital's spine clinic database. A total of 48 C8/T1 root lesions from 37 patients were included, and 48 C8/T1 root levels from control subjects were matched for age, sex, and height. RMCT was measured in the abductor pollicis brevis muscle and the assessment of any delays owing to C8/T1 radiculopathy. RESULTS: The RMCT of the C8/T1 radiculopathy group was 1.7 ± 0.6 ms, which was significantly longer than that in the control group (1.2 ± 0.8 ms; p = 0.001). The delayed RMCT was independently associated with radiculopathy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.27; p = 0.011) after adjusting for the peripheral motor conduction time, amplitude of median compound motor nerve action potential, and shortest F-wave latency. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve for diagnosing C8/T1 radiculopathy using RMCT was 0.72 (0.61-0.82). The RMCT was significantly correlated with symptom duration (coefficient = 0.58; p < 0.001) but was not associated with the degree of arm pain. CONCLUSION: Our findings illustrate the clinical applicability of the RMCT by demonstrating its utility in diagnosing radiculopathy at certain spinal levels.
BACKGROUND: Root motor conduction time (RMCT) can noninvasively evaluate the status of the proximal root segment. However, its clinical application remains limited, and wider studies regarding its use are scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between C8/T1 level radiculopathy and RMCT. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Subjects were extracted from a general hospital's spine clinic database. A total of 48 C8/T1 root lesions from 37 patients were included, and 48 C8/T1 root levels from control subjects were matched for age, sex, and height. RMCT was measured in the abductor pollicis brevis muscle and the assessment of any delays owing to C8/T1 radiculopathy. RESULTS: The RMCT of the C8/T1 radiculopathy group was 1.7 ± 0.6 ms, which was significantly longer than that in the control group (1.2 ± 0.8 ms; p = 0.001). The delayed RMCT was independently associated with radiculopathy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.27; p = 0.011) after adjusting for the peripheral motor conduction time, amplitude of median compound motor nerve action potential, and shortest F-wave latency. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve for diagnosing C8/T1 radiculopathy using RMCT was 0.72 (0.61-0.82). The RMCT was significantly correlated with symptom duration (coefficient = 0.58; p < 0.001) but was not associated with the degree of arm pain. CONCLUSION: Our findings illustrate the clinical applicability of the RMCT by demonstrating its utility in diagnosing radiculopathy at certain spinal levels.