Background: The H-reflex derived its name from Hoffman. Hoffmann reflex is an electrically induced reflex analogous to the mechanically induced spinal stretch reflex. This measurement can be used to assess the response of the nervous system to various neurological conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, and application of therapeutic modalities, pain, exercise training, and performance of motor tasks. This simple and reproducible physiological response was studied to evaluate conduction along the course of the whole “final common pathway” from the moto neuron to the terminal axon as well as to gain some information regarding the function of large diameter group la afferent fibers supplying the muscle spindle.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the H-reflex latency between the normal person and in neuropathic patients. The study aimed to see whether there is any difference in H-reflex latency in the right leg of normal person and in neuropathic patients. The study aimed to see whether there is any difference in H-reflex latency in the left leg of normal person and in neuropathic patients.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among 25 normal subjects and 25 neuropathic patients between 20 and 70 years of age from Nootan Medical College and Research Centre, Visnagar. The normal subjects were evaluated clinically to find their normal condition. The neuropathic patients which are included in study are of diabetic neuropathy, plexopathy, radiculopathy, vitamin deficiency, and Guillain Barre Syndrome. The patients who had bilateral neuropathy were included in the study. The study was conducted using mainly stimulator circuit, stimulating and recording electrodes, preamplifier, and oscilloscope. The software used for this experiment was RMS EMG EPMK II, one of the latest software with facilities for nerve conduction velocity, electromyography, F-wave, and H-reflex recording.
Results: Out of the 50 participants, 25 participants who were suffering with any kind of neuropathy evaluated for their H-reflex latency in both leg. Patients with neuropathy showed higher latency in the right leg compared to the 25 participants in the control group in the right leg demonstrated significantly higher latency in the group with neuropathy. The 25 participants who were suffering with any kind of neuropathy evaluated for their H-reflex latency left leg compared to the 25 participants in the control group left leg demonstrated significantly higher latency in the group with neuropathy.
Conclusion: The results show that there is an increase in the H-reflex latency in neuropathy patients as compared to normal subjects but it can be not used as a specific test for diagnosis of neuropathies, because the H-reflex latency may also change in normal subjects as the age of the persons is increases or the height of the persons increases but H-reflex latency can be used for the diagnosis of the proximal nerve root injuries as it mainly investigates the proximal nerve reflex arc.
Key words: Soleus H-reflex; H-reflex Latency; H-reflex Amplitude; Diabetic Neuropathy; Ia Fiber; Radiculopathy
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