Prevalence of Denervation Potentials from Foot Intrinsic and Lumbosacral Paraspinal Muscles in Asymptomatic Persons in Korea

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of denervation potentials from the foot intrinsic and the lumbosacral paraspinal muscles in asymptomatic persons in Korea. METHOD: Nerve conduction studies were performed in 80 asymptomatic persons at sural, peroneal and tibial nerves. We excluded 15 persons with abnormal values of nerve conduction studies. In our study, 36 males and 29 females participated and the mean age of subjects was 52.9 years. We checked denervation potentials from unilateral lumbosacral paraspinal (L4-S1) and foot intrinsic muscles (abductor hallucis and extensor digitorum brevis muscle) by needle EMG. RESULTS: The prevalence of denervation potentials from foot intrinsic muscles was 3% (2 cases out of 65 asymptomatic subjects). Denervation potentials consisting of a positive sharp wave were seen from the abductor hallucis muscle. No subjects showed any denervation potentials from the lumbosacral paraspinal muscles in our study. Abnormal X-ray findings were seen in subjects who had denervation potentials from the foot intrinsic muscles. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of denervation potentials from the foot intrinsic and the lumbosacral paraspinal muscles in asymptomatic person was not as high as previously reported