Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Spectrum of Related Disorders Affecting the Aging Spine.

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Abstract

[Indexed for MEDLINE] 10. PLoS One. 2019 Oct 28;14(10):e0223009. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223009. eCollection 2019. Assessing hand dysfunction in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Smith ZA(1), Barry AJ(2), Paliwal M(1), Hopkins BS(1), Cantrell D(3), Dhaher Y(2). Author information: (1)Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. (2)Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. (3)Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. METHODS: Twenty patients with CSM and 17 controls were recruited. Clinical scores of modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) and Nurick were collected. MRI based compression grades such as cord distortion were assessed. Hand dysfunction was tested using a custom motorized apparatus. Subject's forearm was placed in a cast and positioned such that their metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint was vertically aligned with the motor shaft. Surface electromyographic sensors were placed on flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and extensor digitorum communis muscles. Hyperreflexia was measured as the FDS muscle activation during reflex when the MCP joint was moved from flexion to extension at 300°/sec. Proprioception was quantified as the angle of detection in absence of visual or auditory cues (subjects were blindfolded and given noise-cancelling headphones). Strength was measured as the maximum isometric force at the MCP joint. 2-sample t-test (p