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The tendon reflexes in the electrodiagnosis of sciatica

T Zabelis1, N Karandreas, C Lygidakis

  • 1Department of Neurology, Athens University, Aeginition Hospital, Greece.

Electromyography and Clinical Neurophysiology
|April 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

This study examined how well electromyographically tested tendon reflexes can detect sciatica compared to clinical and other electrophysiological methods. Researchers tested knee and Achilles tendon reflexes in 200 patients and 50 healthy volunteers. They found that 45% of affected limbs had abnormal electrophysiological reflexes, which was higher than the 34.4% abnormal EMG and 30.4% abnormal H reflex findings. Achilles tendon reflexes tested electrically were more sensitive than H reflexes. Clinically normal reflexes were abnormal in 7.3% of knee and 14.1% of Achilles cases. Absent clinical Achilles reflexes were recorded as abnormal in 65% of cases. The authors suggest that electromyographically tested reflexes may offer better diagnostic accuracy than clinical testing alone.

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Area of Science:

  • Neurophysiology in clinical diagnostics
  • Electrodiagnostic techniques in orthopedic medicine

Background:

Prior research has established that tendon reflexes are commonly used in neurological assessments. However, the specific utility of electromyographically tested reflexes in diagnosing sciatica remains unclear. Clinical testing of reflexes often lacks sensitivity, especially in early or subtle cases. Electrophysiological methods have been explored in other neurological conditions but not specifically for sciatica. This gap motivated the investigation into how well electromyography can detect radiculopathy. No prior work had resolved whether tendon reflexes tested electrically offer diagnostic advantages over traditional methods. The need to improve diagnostic accuracy in lumbosacral radiculopathy is well recognized. This study aimed to address that need through a comparative analysis of electrophysiological and clinical findings.

Purpose Of The Study:

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of electromyographically tested tendon reflexes in sciatica. The focus was on comparing these reflexes with clinical and other electrophysiological measures. The specific problem addressed was the lack of clarity about how well ETR detects radiculopathy compared to standard methods. The motivation stemmed from the need to improve early diagnosis accuracy in lumbosacral radiculopathy. Researchers sought to determine if ETR could detect abnormalities missed by clinical testing. The study also aimed to compare the sensitivity of ETR with EMG and H reflex findings. By analyzing reflex latencies and amplitudes, the authors aimed to identify patterns unique to sciatica. This approach was chosen to provide a clearer understanding of diagnostic electrodiagnostic tools.

Keywords:
electromyography sciaticatendon reflexes diagnosislumbosacral radiculopathy testingclinical neurophysiology

Frequently Asked Questions

The study found that 45% of affected limbs had abnormal electrophysiological tendon reflexes, suggesting higher sensitivity than clinical testing.

The Achilles tendon reflex tested electrically was more sensitive than the H reflex (42.8% vs. 30.4%).

Clinically absent Achilles reflexes were recorded as abnormally low and delayed in 65% of cases, indicating hidden pathology.

Electromyography detected abnormalities in 34.4% of cases, complementing clinical and H reflex findings.

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Main Methods:

The study involved 200 patients with suspected sciatica and 50 healthy controls. Researchers measured the latency and amplitude of knee and Achilles tendon reflexes using electromyography. Clinical reflex testing was also performed alongside electrophysiological assessments. The H reflex was evaluated as part of the electrophysiological battery. Data were compared between affected and unaffected limbs in patients. Statistical analysis included calculating the frequency of abnormal findings across methods. Researchers categorized results into clinically absent or present reflexes. The comparison of ETR, EMG, and H reflex results formed the core of the analysis.

Main Results:

Electrophysiological tendon reflexes were abnormal in 45% of affected limbs. EMG showed abnormalities in 34.4% of cases, while H reflex was abnormal in 30.4%. ETR had a higher sensitivity than H reflex for detecting pathology. Achilles tendon reflexes tested electrically were more sensitive than knee reflexes. Clinically normal reflexes were found to be abnormal in 7.3% of knee and 14.1% of Achilles cases. Absent clinical Achilles reflexes were recorded as abnormally low and delayed in 65% of cases. These findings suggest that ETR can detect abnormalities missed by clinical examination. The results highlight the potential of ETR as a diagnostic tool in sciatica.

Conclusions:

The authors propose that electromyographically tested tendon reflexes offer diagnostic advantages in sciatica. They suggest that ETR is more sensitive than clinical testing and H reflex in detecting pathology. The findings indicate that ETR can reveal abnormalities in clinically normal reflexes. The authors emphasize the importance of electrophysiological assessment in radiculopathy diagnosis. They suggest that ETR should be considered alongside other electrophysiological tests. The study supports the use of ETR in cases where clinical findings are inconclusive. The results do not claim ETR is essential but suggest it may improve diagnostic accuracy. The authors conclude that ETR provides additional diagnostic value in sciatica assessment.

Clinically normal knee and Achilles tendon reflexes were abnormal in 7.3% and 14.1% of cases, respectively.

The authors suggest that ETR may improve diagnostic accuracy and should be considered alongside other electrophysiological tests.