Clinico-Electroneuromyographic Study in Miners With Occupational Polyneuropathy of the Upper Extremities

Abstract

Introduction. Among the various methods of diagnosis and prediction of peripheral nerve injuries of the upper extremities, stimulation electroneuromyography plays a significant role. Occupational polyneuropathy of the upper extremities in coal miners is a common pathology. This pathology can lead to a disability of the active population, which makes the problem to be socially significant. Stimulation electroneuromyography is a method of choice in the diagnosis and prediction of peripheral nervous system diseases. Material and methods. 40 miners aged from 42 to 65 years, employed in hazardous working conditions (vibration, physical overload, gas pollution, adverse climatic conditions) were surveyed. As a control group, 12 healthy subjects of the same age without the signs of peripheral nervous system disease were examined. A clinical and electrophysiological study was conducted, including a clinical investigation, a quantitative assessment of subjective complaints on the Total Symptom Score (TSS) scale and stimulation electroneuromyography. Results. Occupational polyneuropathy developed in all surveyed workers employed in adverse working conditions; it was characterized mainly by myelinopathies of motor and sensory nerve fibers. In the clinical picture there were dominated sensitive (95%) and painful (45%) manifestations, moderately pronounced, the average score on the TSS scale was of 2.63 and 2.44, respectively; a correlation relationship between neurophysiological indices and subjective complaints (r-Pearson criteria value accounted of from 0.75 to 0.97) was revealed. Prenosological manifestations of electroneuromyography changes were detected in 5% of the examined subjects. Conclusion. The study of the functional state of peripheral nerves by using the method of stimulation electroneuromyography is an effective tool for the early diagnosis of occupational polyneuropathy.