در بيماران مبتلا به مولتيپل اسكلروزيس BLink ReFLex فراواني يافته هاي غيرطبيعي

Blink Reflex in Multiple Sclerosis:An Ancillary Test for Detecting Brain Stem Lesions

Introduction. Electrodiagnostic tests are one of the ancillary procedures that are used for diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigates the frequency of abnormal blink reflex in patients with MS. Methods. In this cross sectional diagnostic study, 100 patients (26 male and 74 female) with definite MS were selected based on clinical and MR/ findings. they were referred to Al - zahra hospital (affiliated to iUMSHS) during year 2000. Blink reflex (BR) waves including R1, R2, R ʹ2 were recorded in patients through the stimulation of supraorbital nerve. Results. The frequency of abnormal BR in MS patients with brain stem involvement was 77.9 percent and in those without brain stem involvement was 36.6 percent (P<0.001). There was a significant relationship between the duration of MS and the abnormality in BR. Discussion. The frequency of abnormal blink reflex in MS is significantly associated with site of involvement in the brain. The majority of MS patients with brain stem involvement have abnormal BR. It is proposed that in patients with symptoms and signs of MS if there was no accessibility for MR/ or if the results of MR/ were equivocal, blink reflex test should be performed in addition to other ancillary tests.