1. Electromyographically recorded patellar reflex in normotensive pregnant women and patients with preeclampsia.
- Author
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Brussé IA, Visser GH, van der Marel IC, Facey-Vermeiden S, Steegers EA, and Duvekot JJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Case-Control Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Linear Models, Middle Aged, Patella, Prospective Studies, Quadriceps Muscle, Reference Values, Electromyography, Pre-Eclampsia physiopathology, Pregnancy physiology, Reflex physiology
- Abstract
Objective: To define reference values of the patellar reflex in normotensive pregnant and postpartum women and to compare these with values in women with preeclampsia., Design: Observational study., Setting: University teaching hospital in the Netherlands., Population: Normotensive non-pregnant women, pregnant women and preeclamptic women., Methods: In normotensive pregnant women the patellar reflex was cross-sectionally recorded using surface electromyography at four time points during pregnancy and six to eight weeks postpartum. In non-pregnant normotensive women this was recorded once. Preeclamptic women were recorded during pregnancy and postpartum., Main Outcome Measures: Latency and amplitude of the compound muscle action potential of the patellar reflex., Results: Latency and amplitude of the compound muscle action potential during normotensive pregnancies showed no changes compared with the non-pregnant state during reproductive age. Latency of the compound muscle action potential was increased in pregnancies with severe preeclampsia compared with normotensive pregnancies. These differences disappeared postpartum., Conclusions: During pregnancy, the patellar reflex can be assessed using surface electromyography. Latency and amplitude show no changes during normotensive pregnancies and are no different from the postpartum or non-pregnant values. In severely preeclamptic women, latency is increased. The clinical value of this is limited., (© 2015 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)
- Published
- 2015
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