Related Experiment Videos
The pattern of muscle involvement in poliomyelitis of the upper limb
Insights
Poliomyelitis commonly affects the upper limbs in children, with the deltoid muscle being most frequently impacted. This study details patterns of paralysis and paresis in pediatric polio patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Poliomyelitis is a debilitating infectious disease primarily affecting children.
- Understanding the specific patterns of neuromuscular involvement is crucial for prognosis and rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pattern of muscle paralysis and paresis in the upper limbs of children diagnosed with poliomyelitis.
- To identify the most frequently affected muscles and their correlation with spinal segment involvement.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 31 pediatric patients with poliomyelitis.
- Clinical assessment of upper limb muscle strength, identifying paralysis and paresis.
- Correlation of muscle involvement with affected spinal segments (C5, C7).
Main Results:
- Upper limb involvement occurred with equal frequency as combined upper/lower limb or spine/upper limb involvement.
- The left arm was more frequently affected than the right.
- Deltoid muscle paralysis was most common, followed by elbow flexors/extensors and the opponens pollicis in the hand. Shoulder subluxation occurred with complete deltoid and rotator cuff paralysis.
- C5 involvement correlated with paralysis, while C7 correlated with paresis.
Conclusions:
- Poliomyelitis presents with distinct patterns of upper limb muscle weakness in children.
- The deltoid, elbow flexors/extensors, and opponens pollicis are key muscles affected.
- Specific spinal segment involvement (C5, C7) predicts the severity of muscle dysfunction.
Abstract:
The pattern of muscle paralysis and paresis in the upper limb has been studied in 31 children with poliomyelitis. The incidence of involvement of the upper limb alone is the same as of the upper and lower limbs together, and of the spine and upper limb. The left arm was more commonly affected than the right. The muscle most frequently paralysed was the deltoid. When complete paralysis of the whole deltoid occurred and was associated with paralysis of the rotator cuff muscles, the shoulder often subluxed downwards. The next most commonly affected muscles were the elbow flexors and extensors. In the hand the opponens pollicis was most often involved. As far as the spinal segments are concerned, C5 involvement was usually associated with paralysis and C7 with paresis.