Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy

Background: Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) typically develops with neuralgia in the upper limbs and causes localized muscle atrophy after pain subsides. NA is not well known; thus, many patients face delayed diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We evaluated the initial symptoms, symptom duration, neurologic...

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Main Authors: Remi Morimoto, Mutsumi Iijima, Kunio Toda, Kazuo Kitagawa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Society of Tokyo Women's Medical University 2024-05-01
Series:Tokyo Women's Medical University Journal
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Online Access:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/twmuj/8/0/8_2023009/_pdf/-char/en
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author Remi Morimoto
Mutsumi Iijima
Kunio Toda
Kazuo Kitagawa
author_facet Remi Morimoto
Mutsumi Iijima
Kunio Toda
Kazuo Kitagawa
author_sort Remi Morimoto
collection DOAJ
description Background: Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) typically develops with neuralgia in the upper limbs and causes localized muscle atrophy after pain subsides. NA is not well known; thus, many patients face delayed diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We evaluated the initial symptoms, symptom duration, neurological findings, impaired nerves, treatment, and sequelae in patients with NA in our department between 2010 and 2020. Results: Ten patients had upper-limb NA. The suprascapular nerve was the most commonly affected nerve (n = 9). Needle electromyography revealed abnormal findings in all patients, and fibrillations/positive sharp waves at rest were observed in seven patients. Nerve conduction studies showed reduced motor or sensory nerve action potential amplitudes in six patients. Brachial plexus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed abnormalities in five patients. The mean duration from symptom onset to diagnosis was 142 days (median: 130 days), and the mean duration from the first visit to our department to diagnosis was 41 days (median: 20 days). Sequelae were observed in patients diagnosed 200 days after symptom onset. Conclusion: A combination of needle electromyography of the affected muscles, nerve conduction studies, and a special MRI technique (short tau inversion recovery MRI) may support the diagnosis of NA lesions, even in the subacute to chronic phase.
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spelling doaj-art-16ab4ab42f7746f3b3b760ebcc4fc90b2024-12-25T02:28:56ZengSociety of Tokyo Women's Medical UniversityTokyo Women's Medical University Journal2432-61862024-05-0180475610.24488/twmuj.2023009twmujClinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic AmyotrophyRemi Morimoto0Mutsumi Iijima1Kunio Toda2Kazuo Kitagawa3Department of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Shin-Matsudo Central General HospitalDepartment of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical UniversityBackground: Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) typically develops with neuralgia in the upper limbs and causes localized muscle atrophy after pain subsides. NA is not well known; thus, many patients face delayed diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We evaluated the initial symptoms, symptom duration, neurological findings, impaired nerves, treatment, and sequelae in patients with NA in our department between 2010 and 2020. Results: Ten patients had upper-limb NA. The suprascapular nerve was the most commonly affected nerve (n = 9). Needle electromyography revealed abnormal findings in all patients, and fibrillations/positive sharp waves at rest were observed in seven patients. Nerve conduction studies showed reduced motor or sensory nerve action potential amplitudes in six patients. Brachial plexus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed abnormalities in five patients. The mean duration from symptom onset to diagnosis was 142 days (median: 130 days), and the mean duration from the first visit to our department to diagnosis was 41 days (median: 20 days). Sequelae were observed in patients diagnosed 200 days after symptom onset. Conclusion: A combination of needle electromyography of the affected muscles, nerve conduction studies, and a special MRI technique (short tau inversion recovery MRI) may support the diagnosis of NA lesions, even in the subacute to chronic phase.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/twmuj/8/0/8_2023009/_pdf/-char/enbrachial plexusmagnetic resonance imagingneedle electromyogramnerve conduction studyneuralgic amyotrophy
spellingShingle Remi Morimoto
Mutsumi Iijima
Kunio Toda
Kazuo Kitagawa
Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy
Tokyo Women's Medical University Journal
brachial plexus
magnetic resonance imaging
needle electromyogram
nerve conduction study
neuralgic amyotrophy
title Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy
title_full Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy
title_fullStr Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy
title_short Clinical Analysis of Ten Cases of Neuralgic Amyotrophy
title_sort clinical analysis of ten cases of neuralgic amyotrophy
topic brachial plexus
magnetic resonance imaging
needle electromyogram
nerve conduction study
neuralgic amyotrophy
url https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/twmuj/8/0/8_2023009/_pdf/-char/en
work_keys_str_mv AT remimorimoto clinicalanalysisoftencasesofneuralgicamyotrophy
AT mutsumiiijima clinicalanalysisoftencasesofneuralgicamyotrophy
AT kuniotoda clinicalanalysisoftencasesofneuralgicamyotrophy
AT kazuokitagawa clinicalanalysisoftencasesofneuralgicamyotrophy