Electromyographic Studies in Peroneal Muscular Atrophy

Abstract

Introduction The early reports of electromyographic findings in peroneal muscular atrophy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (to be referred to as C.M.T.) were those of Kugelberg¹ in 1949 and Buchthal and Pinelli² in 1953. Gilliatt and Thomas³ in 1957 and Lambert et al⁴ in 1958 specifically reported on the conduction velocity of peripheral nerves in this disease. Within the past year Dyck et al⁵ and Earl and Johnson⁶ also reported electrodiagnostic studies in this disease. This study was primarily intended to correlate findings from both electromyography and nerve stimulation with the clinical data in a kinship of C.M.T. patients. In this way it may be possible to clarify further the nature of the involvement of the motor unit. Paraphrasing Brodal,⁷ the validity of any conclusions made from such studies is dependent essentially on a correct clinical diagnosis. Material This kinship (Fig 1) had 62 members