Comparison of linear regression and probit analysis for detecting H-reflex threshold in individuals with and without spinal cord injury

S M Schindler-Ivens; R K Shields

Back

Journal article

Comparison of linear regression and probit analysis for detecting H-reflex threshold in individuals with and without spinal cord injury

S M Schindler-Ivens and R K Shields

Electromyography and clinical neurophysiology, Vol.44(3), pp.153-159

04/2004

PMID: 15125055

View Online

Abstract

A major challenge to understanding spinal reflex organization in health and disease is identifying sensitive measures of reflex excitability. The purpose of this study was to determine whether linear regression or probit analysis techniques are more sensitive for detecting H-reflex and M-wave threshold and for identifying differences in H-reflex threshold in individuals with and without spinal cord injury (SCI). Soleus H-reflex recruitment curves were generated in 9 individuals with SCI and 20 able-bodied individuals. H-reflex and M-wave threshold was estimated using three different methods, two that used linear regression of H-reflex peak-to-peak amplitude and one that used probit analysis of quantal H-reflexes. Results indicate that in both groups all three techniques were equally sensitive for detecting H-reflex but not M-wave threshold. When H-reflex threshold was normalized to M-wave threshold, different techniques provided different estimates of H-reflex threshold. However, between-group differences (SCI vs. able-body) in H-reflex and M-wave threshold were not affected by the measurement techniques that were compared in this study. We conclude that these techniques provide equally sensitive estimates of H-reflex but not M-wave threshold in persons with and without SCI. Hence, caution should be used when interpreting normalized and non-normalized values of H-reflex threshold.

H-Reflex - physiology

Motor Neurons - physiology

Humans

Middle Aged

Reflex, Abnormal - physiology

Linear Models

Male

Muscle, Skeletal - innervation

Reference Values

Models, Statistical

Recruitment, Neurophysiological - physiology

Sensory Thresholds - physiology

Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Adult

Female

Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology

Electromyography - statistics & numerical data

Details

Title: Subtitle: Comparison of linear regression and probit analysis for detecting H-reflex threshold in individuals with and without spinal cord injury
Creators: S M Schindler-Ivens - The University of Iowa, Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Iowa City, IA, USA. s-schindler-ivens@northwestern.edu
R K Shields
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Electromyography and clinical neurophysiology, Vol.44(3), pp.153-159
Publisher: Belgium
PMID: 15125055
ISSN: 0301-150X
Grant note: R01 HD039445 / NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD039445-01 / NICHD NIH HHS R01HD39445 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 04/2004
Academic Unit: Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Record Identifier: 9984047661702771

Metrics

23 Record Views