American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM)

Dr. Elie Naddaf interviews Lawrence R. Robinson MD on his article, Effect of shoulder and elbow position on ulnar nerve conduction.

Dr. Justin Willer interviews Dr. Michael Hehir on his article, Thymectomy may not be associated with clinical improvement in MuSK myasthenia gravis.

Dr. Elie Naddaf interviews Dr. Mazen Dimachkie on his article, Satisfactory Response With Achieving Maintenance Low-Dose Prednisone in Generalized Myasthenia Gravis. To estimate the satisfactory response rate (SR%) with achieving maintenance, low-dose prednisone in acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis. In this retrospective study, we estimate the SR% as defined by (remission/minimal manifestations status for at least 6 months using 7.5 mg or less of prednisone daily, for maintenance treatment at 2, 4, and 6 years after symptoms onset) for patients who were not taking steroid-sparing immunosuppressant (SSI) as a primary outcome and for patients taking an SSI as a secondary outcome. Forty-five patients were not taking an SSI at 2 years, 34 patients at 4 years, and 17 patients at 6 years; SR% was 44.4%, 64.7%, and 58.8%, respectively. Thirty-six patients were taking an SSI at 2 years, 22 patients at 4 years, and 15 patients at 6 years; the SR% was 50.0%, 45.4%, and 66.7%, respectively. Nearly half of the generalized myasthenia gravis patients who were not taking an SSI achieved an SR.

Dr. Justin Willer interviews Dr. Yuebing Li about his article, Clinical and Electrodiagnostic Features Of Nontraumatic Sciatic Neuropathy. This study sought to characterize etiologies and features of sciatic neuropathy unrelated to penetrating nerve trauma. Methods: This investigation was a retrospective review of 109 patients with electrodiagnostically confirmed sciatic neuropathies. Results: Hip replacement surgery represented the most common (34.9%) etiology, whereas inflammatory sciatic neuropathy was seen in 7.3%. Electrodiagnostic testing revealed an axonal neuropathy in 95.4% and a demyelinating neuropathy in 4.6%. Predominant involvement of the peroneal division was seen in 39.4% and was tibial in 5.5%. Nine of 31 (29.0%) patients who had MRI or neuromuscular ultrasound study showed abnormalities within the sciatic nerve. At the final visit, 46.4% of patients required assistance for ambulation. Young age, lack of severe initial weakness, and presence of tibial compound muscle action potential or sural sensory nerve action potential were predictors of favorable outcome. Discussion: Sciatic neuropathies are usually axonal on electrodiagnostic testing, affect preferentially the peroneal division, and are commonly associated with incomplete recovery. Muscle Nerve 59:309–314, 2019.