Difference in distribution of fasciculations between multifocal motor neuropathy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in fasciculation distribution between patients with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) based on muscle ultrasound. METHODS: Forty-one muscles (tongue muscle and 40 muscles of the trunk and limbs on both sides) in 5 MMN patients and 21 muscles (tongue muscle and 20 muscles on the onset side) in 21 ALS patients were subjected to muscle ultrasound individually for 60 seconds to detect the presence of fasciculations. RESULTS: Fasciculation detection rates on the onset side were significantly higher in ALS (42.4 ± 18.3%, mean ± SD) than in MMN (21.9 ± 8.8%) patients (p < 0.05). In MMN patients, no fasciculation was detected in the tongue or truncal muscles. There was no difference in the fasciculation detection rate between the onset and non-onset sides or between upper and lower limbs in MMN patients. CONCLUSIONS: In MMN patients, fasciculations were detected extensively in the limbs. However, the detection rate in patients with MMN was lower than in those with ALS. SIGNIFICANCE: Demonstration of the absence of fasciculations in the tongue and truncal muscles in MMN patients by extensive muscle ultrasound examination may help distinguish MMN from ALS.

Quantitative sonographic evaluation of muscle thickness and fasciculation prevalence in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: In the current study, we aimed to determine normative values for muscle thickness and fasciculation prevalence in healthy subjects. METHODS: We performed a prospective study from October to December 2018 in 65 healthy subjects. All subjects underwent quantitative sonographic evaluation of muscle thickness and fasciculation prevalence in the following 8 muscles: Biceps brachii, abductor pollicis brevis, first dorsal interosseous, abductor digiti minimi, quadriceps, tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum brevis, and abductor hallucis brevis. RESULTS: Subject ages ranged from 21 to 82 years, with 63% women. Normative values for muscle thickness were determined using the fifth percentile. Multivariate regression analysis showed that sex, age, body mass index, and hand dominance affected muscle thickness. Fasciculations were observed frequently only in distal muscles. CONCLUSIONS: Normal values for muscle thickness were determined, and may enhance neuromuscular ultrasound sensitivity and serve as a basis for future studies. Larger series are needed to confirm these values.

Prophylactic use of pregabalin for prevention of succinylcholine-induced fasciculation and myalgia: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study / Uso profilático de pregabalina para prevenção de mialgia e fasciculação induzidas por succinilcolina: estudo randômico, duplo-cego e controlado por placebo

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Succinylcholine is commonly used to achieve profound neuromuscular blockade of rapid onset and short duration. OBJECTIVE: The present study compared the efficacy of pregabalin for prevention of succinylcholine-induced fasciculation and myalgia. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, placebo controlled, double blinded study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients of both genders undergoing elective spine surgery were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in Group P (pregabalin group) received 150 mg of pregabalin orally 1 h prior to induction of anesthesia with sips of water and patients in Group C (control group) received placebo. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 1.5 mcg/kg, propofol 1.5-2.0 mg/kg followed by succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg. The intensity of fasciculations was assessed by an observer blinded to the group allotment of the patient on a 4-point scale. A blinded observer recorded postoperative myalgia grade after 24 h of surgery. Patients were provided patient-controlled analgesia with fentanyl for postoperative pain relief. RESULTS: Demographic data of both groups were comparable (p > 0.05). The incidence of muscle fasciculation's was not significant between two groups (p = 0.707), while more patients in group C had moderate to severe fasciculation's compared to group P (p = 0.028). The incidence and severity of myalgia were significantly lower in group P (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pregabalin 150 mg prevents succinylcholine-induced fasciculations and myalgia and also decreases the fentanyl consumption in elective sine surgery.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA: A succinilcolina é comumente usada para atingir um bloqueio neuromuscular profundo, de início rápido e de curta duração. OBJETIVO: Comparar a eficácia de pregabalina na prevenção de mialgia e fasciculação induzidas por succinilcolina. DESENHO: Estudo prospectivo, randômico, duplo-cego e controlado por placebo. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Pacientes de ambos os sexos submetidos a cirurgia eletiva de coluna foram aleatoriamente divididos em dois grupos. Os pacientes do Grupo P (pregabalina) receberam 150 mg de pregabalina oral uma hora antes da indução da anestesia e os pacientes do Grupo C (controle) receberam placebo. A anestesia foi induzida com fentanil (1,5 mcg/kg) e propofol (1,5-2,0 mg/kg), seguidos de succinilcolina 1,5 mg/kg. A intensidade da fasciculação foi avaliada por um observador, cego para a alocação dos grupos, com uma escala de 4 pontos. Um observador cego registrou o grau pós-operatório de mialgia após 24 horas de cirurgia. Para o alívio da dor no pós-operatório, fentanil foi usado em sistema de analgesia controlada pelo paciente. RESULTADOS: Os dados demográficos de ambos os grupos eram comparáveis (p > 0,05). A incidência de fasciculação muscular não foi significativa entre os dois grupos (p = 0,707), enquanto mais pacientes do Grupo C apresentaram fasciculação de moderada a grave em relação ao Grupo P (p = 0,028). A incidência e a gravidade da mialgia foram significativamente menores no grupo P (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: Pregabalina (150 mg) previne mialgia e fasciculação induzidas por succinilcolina, além de diminur o consumo de fentanil em cirurgia eletiva de coluna.

Prophylactic use of pregabalin for prevention of succinylcholine-induced fasciculation and myalgia: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Succinylcholine is commonly used to achieve profound neuromuscular blockade of rapid onset and short duration. OBJECTIVE: The present study compared the efficacy of pregabalin for prevention of succinylcholine-induced fasciculation and myalgia. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, placebo controlled, double blinded study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients of both genders undergoing elective spine surgery were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in Group P (pregabalin group) received 150mg of pregabalin orally 1h prior to induction of anesthesia with sips of water and patients in Group C (control group) received placebo. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 1.5mcg/kg, propofol 1.5-2.0mg/kg followed by succinylcholine 1.5mg/kg. The intensity of fasciculations was assessed by an observer blinded to the group allotment of the patient on a 4-point scale. A blinded observer recorded postoperative myalgia grade after 24h of surgery. Patients were provided patient-controlled analgesia with fentanyl for postoperative pain relief. RESULTS: Demographic data of both groups were comparable (p>0.05). The incidence of muscle fasciculation's was not significant between two groups (p=0.707), while more patients in group C had moderate to severe fasciculation's compared to group P (p=0.028). The incidence and severity of myalgia were significantly lower in group P (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Pregabalin 150mg prevents succinylcholine-induced fasciculations and myalgia and also decreases the fentanyl consumption in elective sine surgery.

Benign fasciculation syndrome.

Questions from patients about pain conditions, analgesic pharmacotherapy, and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them more effective self-advocates. In reply to a question about benign fasciculation syndrome, the presentation, causes, treatment, and chances of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis will be discussed.

Prophylactic use of gabapentin for prevention of succinylcholine-induced fasciculation and myalgia: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Succinylcholine is used for rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia. Fasciculations and myalgia are adverse effects. The pretreatment modalities prevent or minimize its adverse effects. AIMS: The present study is designed to evaluate the efficacy of gabapentin on the incidence of fasciculation and succinylcholine-induced myalgia. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled manner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients of both genders undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in Group I (Gabapentin group) received 600 mg of gabapentin orally 2 h prior to surgery and patients in Group II (placebo group) received matching placebo. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 3 µg/kg, thiopentone 3-5 mg/kg and succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg. All patients were observed and graded for fasciculations by a blinded observer and patients were intubated. Anesthesia was maintained with oxygen in air, sevoflurane and intermittent vecuronium bromide. After completion of surgery, neuromuscular blockade was reversed. A blinded observer recorded myalgia grade at 24 h. Patients were provided patient-controlled analgesia with fentanyl for postoperative pain relief. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Demographic data, fasciculation grade, fentanyl consumption, and myalgia grade were compared using student t test and test of proportions. RESULTS: The study included 76 American Society of Anesthesiologists' Grade I or II patients of either gender undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. But only 70 patients completed the study. Results demonstrated that the prophylactic use of gabapentin significantly decreases the incidence and the severity of myalgia (20/35 vs. 11/35) (P<0.05) and decreases fentanyl consumption significantly in the study group (620+164 µg vs. 989+238 µg) (P<0.05) without any effects on the incidence and severity of fasciculations. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic use of gabapentin 600 mg in laparoscopic cholecystectomy decreases the incidence and severity of myalgia and fentanyl consumption.

Consequences of succinylcholine administration to patients using statins.

BACKGROUND: Statins cause structural changes in myocytes and provoke myotoxicity, myopathy, and myalgias. Thus, patients taking statins may be especially susceptible to succinylcholine-induced muscle injury. The authors tested the hypothesis that succinylcholine increases plasma concentrations of myoglobin, potassium, and creatine kinase more in patients who take statins than in those who do not and that succinylcholine-induced postoperative muscle pain is aggravated in statin users. METHODS: Patients who took statins for at least 3 months and those who had never used statins were enrolled. General anesthesia was induced and included 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine for intubation. The incidence and degree of fasciculation after succinylcholine administration were recorded. Blood samples were obtained before induction and 5 and 20 min and 24 h after succinylcholine administration. Patients were interviewed 2 and 24 h after surgery to determine the degree of myalgia. RESULTS: The authors enrolled 38 patients who used statins and 32 who did not. At 20 min, myoglobin was higher in statin users versus nonusers (ratio of medians 1.34 [95% CI: 1.1, 1.7], P = 0.018). Fasciculations in statin users were more intense than in nonusers (P = 0.047). However, plasma potassium and creatine kinase concentrations were similar in statin users and nonusers, as was muscle pain. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma myoglobin concentration at 20 min was significantly greater in statin users than nonusers, although the difference seems unlikely to be clinically important. The study results suggest that the effect of succinylcholine given to patients taking statins is likely to be small and probably of limited clinical consequence.

Prevalence and distribution of fasciculations in healthy adults: Effect of age, caffeine consumption and exercise.

Our objective was to determine the prevalence and distribution of fasciculations in healthy adults and to assess the effect of age, caffeine and exercise. Fasciculations were studied with ultrasonography in 58 healthy adults in various age categories. Questionnaires were used to determine effect of caffeine and regular exercise on the presence of fasciculations. Finally, we tested the effect of strenuous exercise on fasciculations in 10 healthy adults. Twenty-five subjects (43%) showed fasciculations on ultrasonography, mostly in the abductor hallucis longus muscle. Fasciculations were only sporadically encountered in muscle groups above the knee. Subjects with fasciculations were significantly older than those without. Caffeine and regular physical exercise did not influence the prevalence of fasciculations. However, strenuous physical exercise caused a temporary increase in fasciculations, but only in lower leg muscles. Fasciculations above the knee should raise suspicion and may warrant further investigation.

Fasciculations after rattlesnake envenomations: a retrospective statewide poison control system study.

INTRODUCTION: Rattlesnake envenomation occasionally results in repetitive small-muscle fasciculations known as myokymia. We report the results of a retrospective inquiry of this phenomenon from a statewide poison center's database. METHODS: Data was obtained from a poison system database for the years 2000-2003, inclusive, for rattlesnake envenomation exposures coded as having fasciculations. RESULTS: A total of 47 cases were identified, and nine other cases were found from previously published literature. There was no consistent temporal pattern by monthly analyses in incidence or proportion of reported snakebites with myokymia. All four of the reviewed cases with myokymia of the shoulders were intubated and none without it were intubated. CONCLUSIONS: A review of four consecutive years of data revealed no pattern to correlate the incidence of fasciculations with the month. The development of respiratory failure associated with myokymia, sometimes despite antivenom, is a newly reported occurrence. Clinicians are reminded to monitor closely airway and inspiratory capacity in patients with severe myokymia.

Ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 1 in Southern Italy: late onset and variable phenotype.

Ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 1 (AOA1) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset cerebellar ataxia, oculomotor apraxia, and peripheral neuropathy. The causative gene (APTX) has been recently identified in Portuguese and Japanese kindreds. Three patients with AOA1 were identified in an APTX mutation screening on 28 Southern Italian patients with progressive ataxia and peripheral neuropathy. A novel homozygous missense mutation (H201Q) was found in one patient and a Japanese missense mutation (P206L) in two. AOA1 clinical heterogeneity and onset later than previously described are shown.

Prevalence of denervation in paraspinal and foot intrinsic musculature.

OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of abnormal spontaneous activity (positive sharp waves (PSWs) and fibrillation potentials (FPs)) in selected lumbosacral paraspinal and foot intrinsic muscles in an asymptomatic healthy population. DESIGN: This was a prospective assessment of 50 individuals without history or physical findings suggestive of peripheral neuromuscular disease whereby a monopolar needle electrode was located in the unilateral L4 and L5 paraspinal as well as abductor hallucis and extensor digitorum brevis muscles. These muscles were extensively evaluated for the presence of PSWs, FPs, and fasciculation potentials. RESULTS: Ten subjects per decade from 20-59 yr and ten subjects from 60-80 yr comprised the 50 participants (28 women), resulting in a mean age of 45+/-15.9 (range, 20-76) yr. A single individual (prevalence, 2%) demonstrated fibrillation potentials in the extensor digitorum brevis, and FPs and PSWs were detected in two subjects' (4% prevalence) L4/L5 paraspinal muscles. Ninety-four percent of the subjects had fasciculation potentials in the abductor hallucis, whereas 60% had these waveforms in the extensor digitorum brevis. Only 6% of subjects had fasciculation potentials in the L4 but not L5 paraspinal muscles. All subjects demonstrated both prototypical and "atypical" appearing endplate spikes in all of the muscles examined. CONCLUSIONS: We failed to confirm the previously reported prevalence of FPs and PSWs in both the paraspinal and foot intrinsic musculature. Atypical appearing endplate spikes, however, display configurations similar to FPs and PSWs and were present in all subjects. Failure to pay close attention to the discharge rate and rhythm of endplate spikes can lead to misinterpreting these waveforms as FPs and PSWs. It is likely that the previously reported high prevalence of spontaneous activity in healthy persons resulted from not fully appreciating the similarity between innervated and denervated spontaneous single muscle fiber discharge configurations.

A patient with one limb interstitial myositis with localised lipoatrophy presenting with severe cramps and fasciculations.

A case of interstitial myositis associated with a localised lipoatrophy is reported. The patient is a 24 year old man who presented with severe painful cramps and fasciculations localised to one limb. The rarity of both disorders, and their likely common autoimmune mechanism, suggest that this is not a chance association.

Neuromuscular hyperexcitability features in patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain: a neuroepidemiologic survey.

We studied the reported frequencies of clinical complaints of neuromuscular hyperexcitability (muscle cramps and fasciculations) in random samples of 527 Dutch adults, who were and 253 Dutch adults, who were not suffering from musculoskeletal pain and tenderness. Data were collected by telephone-interview and by self-administered questionnaire. Muscle cramps and fasciculations were recorded more frequently in the category that suffered from musculoskeletal pain (p less than 0.001). This association warrants further investigation into the possible intrinsic role of neuromuscular hyperexcitability in musculoskeletal pain and primary fibromyalgia.

Estimation of the frequency of the muscular pain-fasciculation syndrome and the muscular cramp-fasciculation syndrome in the adult population.

A nationwide two-phase survey was carried out of the adult population of the Netherlands regarding fasciculation, muscle pain and muscle cramp. We conducted a population-based telephone interview with 780 Dutch adults, followed by a questionnaire covering more clinical details, filled out by 311 subjects, who had been interviewed by telephone previously. From these data the frequencies of fasciculation (men 50%, women 61%), muscle cramp (men 28%, women 42%) and muscle pain (men 48%, women 60%) in the Dutch adult population in 1988 were estimated. The combined occurrence of frequent fasciculation and frequent muscle cramp as well as of frequent fasciculation and frequent muscle pain was reported only sporadically. Although the muscular pain-fasciculation syndrome and the muscular cramp-fasciculation syndrome represent combinations of common neuromuscular phenomena, their occurrence in the general population proved to be rare. This finding supports their clinical identity as distinct motor unit hyperactivity syndromes rather than mere coincidences of fasciculation, muscle cramp and muscle pain.

A study of different doses of atracurium to prevent suxamethonium-induced fasciculations.

Pretreatment with 3 different doses of atracurium (0.035 mg/kg, 0.05 mg/kg, 0.07 mg/kg) was investigated in order to determine the optimal dose that would prevent suxamethonium-induced fasciculations with minimal side effects to the patient and without significant antagonism of suxamethonium block. A total of 80 patients was studied. There were 20 patients in each of three atracurium groups while a fourth group of 20 patients served as control. Atracurium reduced the incidence of fasciculations from 100% observed in the control to between 0 and 40% in the atracurium groups. The optimal dose of atracurium appears to be 0.05 mg/kg, using a pretreatment interval of 3 minutes. Routine pretreatment of all patients is not mandatory, but it is recommended whenever the side-effects of suxamethonium are particularly undesirable, as in ocular laceration, raised intracranial pressure, full stomach and in very muscular patients.