The presence of spontaneous EMG activity in sternocleidomastoid is associated with ventilatory dysfunction in ALS

We investigated electromyography (EMG) of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) in 128 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) including correlation with forced vital capacity (FVC) and ALS Functional Rating Scale scores. The presence of fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves in the SCM was significantly more frequently observed in patients with an FVC <80% (31/49, 63%) than in patients with an FVC≥80% (34/79, 43%). This study suggests that the SCM could be concomitantly involved with primary respiratory muscles in ALS. This is of value since needle EMG is a less invasive procedure in SCM than in the diaphragm or intercostal muscles.