Twitch response in a myopathy with impaired relaxation but no myotonia

A patient with slow muscle relaxation but without accompanying motor unit or myotonic electrical activity had a unique staircase twitch response to repeated nerve stimulation. During 1-Hz stimulation, twitches recorded by measurement of the ankle dorsiflexor group displayed progressively increasing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMuscle & nerve Vol. 13; no. 4; p. 326
Main Authors Quinlan, J G, Iaizzo, P A, Gronert, G A, Lambert, E H
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.04.1990
Subjects
Action Potentials
Calcium - metabolism
Electromyography
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Muscle Contraction - physiology
Muscle Relaxation - physiology
Myotonia - physiopathology
Neuromuscular Diseases - physiopathology
Peroneal Nerve - physiopathology
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Summary:A patient with slow muscle relaxation but without accompanying motor unit or myotonic electrical activity had a unique staircase twitch response to repeated nerve stimulation. During 1-Hz stimulation, twitches recorded by measurement of the ankle dorsiflexor group displayed progressively increasing relaxation times with successive stimuli (37% increase) unlike the progressively decreasing relaxation time of the normal response (12-37% decrease). The response may be diagnostic of this unusual myopathy; the test methods are noninvasive and easily tolerated.
ISSN:0148-639X
DOI:10.1002/mus.880130408