Electromyography in the Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Neuromuscular Disorders
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This study presented neuromuscular disorders as a heterogeneous group of conditions that severely impair motor function and quality of life in children. Electromyography (EMG) has been used as a diagnostic tool in the screening and management of these neuromuscular disorders. This study has significantly contributed to identifying the importance of EMG in the diagnosis and management of neuromuscular disorders and evaluating clinical outcomes in children.
During a 12-month follow-up period, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 72 pediatric patients diagnosed with neuromuscular disorders, aged 0–15 years, whose symptoms and conditions were diagnosed using EMG. Clinical outcomes were evaluated, and the diagnostic accuracy of EMG in pediatric patients was determined. The study population consisted of 55.6% males and 44.4% females, most of whom (41.7%) were between the ages of 6 and 10 years. The most common diagnoses were muscular dystrophies (25.0%) and spinal muscular atrophy (16.7%). EMG showed high diagnostic accuracy, with rates exceeding 90% for both conditions. The most common methods of treatment were needle EMG (83.3%), physical therapy (69.4%), and pharmaceutical therapy (55.6%). During the 12-month follow-up, 62.5% of patients showed enhancement, but 9.7% deteriorated; parental satisfaction with diagnosis and treatment was high (83.3% satisfied or very satisfied); and EMG results were strongly correlated with genetic testing, especially for spinal muscular atrophy (98.0%).
Our current study concludes that EMG is an accurate diagnostic technique for evaluating pediatric patients with neuromuscular disorders, allowing for the identification of effective treatment strategies. Furthermore, the combination of EMG with genetic testing enhances diagnostic accuracy, thus increasing patient outcomes.
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