Loss of Facilitation in H-reflex: Implication as an Initial Abnormality and an Evidence of Central Nervous Involvement in Guillian-Bare Syndrome

H-반사 촉진의 소실: 길랑-바레 증후군의 초기 이상과 중추신경 침범의 증거로써의 의미

Background : Guillain-$Barr{\acute{e}}$ syndrome(GBS) is a neurologically emergent condition, leading to respiratory insufficiency without an early and appropriate treatment. Thus, the treatment of GBS requires early diagnosis but it is difficult due to the low sensitivity of laboratory tools in the initial stage. Hoffman reflex (H-reflex) and its facilitation by Jendrassik maneuver (JM) are sensitive tools evaluating the central circuit of motor system on the spinal cord level. The aim of this study is to test whether the change of H-reflex and F-wave under the JM is able to detect the early stage of GBS and whether GBS involves the central nervous system (CNS). Material and Methods : All 7 GBS patients who showed normal or nearly normal nerve conduction study were included. The facilitation of H-reflex and changes of F-wave were calculated by measuring the percent difference of H-reflex or F-wave amplitude under JM compared to basal H-reflex of F-wave amplitude. The changes of F-wave and H-reflex in the GBS patients were compared with them of 8 healthy controls. Results : The F-wave amplitudes of both healthy controls and GBS patients did not changed under the influence of JM ($102.4{\pm}24.9%$, $108.7{\pm}29.0%$ respectively). However, the facilitation of H-wave by JM in the GBS patients was absent ($98.8{\pm}5.8%$), even though the H-reflex amplitude I the healthy controls increased under the influence of JM ($124.8{\pm}12.1%$). Conclusions : The loss of H-reflex facilitation in GBS implies that this phenomenon might be the most early change detected in the electrophysiological study and support the early diagnosis, and that GBS might include lesion in the spinal motor CNS.