Multiple sclerosis physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Physical Examination
Multiple sclerosis is difficult to diagnose in its early stages. In fact, a definite diagnosis cannot be made until other disease processes (differential diagnoses) have been ruled out and, in the case of relapsing-remitting MS, there is evidence of at least two anatomically separate demyelinating events separated by at least thirty days. In the case of primary progressive, a slow progression of signs and symptoms over at least 6 months is required.
Historically, different criteria were used and the Schumacher and Poser criteria were both popular. Currently, the McDonald criteria represent international efforts to standardize the diagnosis of MS using clinical, laboratory and radiologic data.[1]
Clinical data alone may be sufficient for a diagnosis of MS. If an individual has suffered two separate episodes of neurologic symptoms characteristic of MS, and the individual also has consistent abnormalities on physical examination, a diagnosis of MS can be made with no further testing. Since some people with MS seek medical attention after only one attack, other testing may hasten the diagnosis and allow earlier initiation of therapy.
Some signs are -
Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia
Internuclear ophthalmoplegia is a disorder of conjugate lateral gaze. The affected eye shows impairment of adduction. The partner eye diverges from the affected eye during abduction, producing diplopia; during extreme abduction, compensatory nystagmus can be seen in the partner eye. Diplopia means double vision while nystagmus is involuntary eye movement characterized by alternating smooth pursuit in one direction and a saccadic movement in the other direction.
Internuclear ophthalmoplegia occurs when MS affects a part of the brain stem called the medial longitudinal fasciculus, which is responsible for communication between the two eyes by connecting the abducens nucleus of one side to the oculomotor nucleus of the opposite side. This results in the failure of the medial rectus muscle to contract appropriately, so that the eyes do not move equally (called disconjugate gaze).
Optic Neuritis
Up to 50% of patients with MS will develop an episode of optic neuritis, and 20% of the time optic neuritis is the presenting sign of MS. The presence of demyelinating white matter lesions on brain MRI at the time of presentation of optic neuritis is the strongest predictor for developing clinically definite MS. Almost half of the patients with optic neuritis have white matter lesions consistent with multiple sclerosis. At five years follow-up, the overall risk of developing MS is 30%, with or without MRI lesions. Patients with a normal MRI still develop MS (16%), but at a lower rate compared to those patients with three or more MRI lesions (51%). From the other perspective, however, almost half (44%) of patients with any demyelinating lesions on MRI at presentation will not have developed MS ten years later. [2][3]
Lhermitte's Sign
Lhermitte's sign is an electrical sensation that runs down the back and into the limbs, and is produced by bending the neck forward. The sign suggests a lesion of the dorsal columns of the cervical cord or of the caudal medulla; correlating significantly with cervical MRI abnormalities.[4] Between 25 and 40% of MS patients report having Lhermitte's sign during the course of their illness. [5][6][7] Lhermitte's sign is considered a classic MS finding, but it can be seen in several other conditions as well.
References
- ↑ McDonald WI; Compston A; Edan G; Goodkin D; Hartung HP; Lublin FD; McFarland HF; Paty DW; Polman CH; Reingold SC; Sandberg-Wollheim M; Sibley W; Thompson A; van den Noort S; Weinshenker BY; Wolinsky JS. Recommended diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines from the International Panel on the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2001 Jul;50(1):121-7 PMID 11456302
- ↑ Beck RW, Trobe JD (1995). "What we have learned from the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial". Ophthalmology. 102 (10): 1504–8. PMID 9097798.
- ↑ "The 5-year risk of MS after optic neuritis: experience of the optic neuritis treatment trial. 1997". Neurology. 57 (12 Suppl 5): S36–45. 2001. PMID 11902594.
- ↑ Gutrecht JA, Zamani AA, Slagado ED (1993). "Anatomic-radiologic basis of Lhermitte's sign in multiple sclerosis". Arch. Neurol. 50 (8): 849–51. PMID 8352672.
- ↑ Al-Araji AH, Oger J (2005). "Reappraisal of Lhermitte's sign in multiple sclerosis". Mult. Scler. 11 (4): 398–402. PMID 16042221.
- ↑ Sandyk R, Dann LC (1995). "Resolution of Lhermitte's sign in multiple sclerosis by treatment with weak electromagnetic fields". Int. J. Neurosci. 81 (3–4): 215–24. PMID 7628912.
- ↑ Kanchandani R, Howe JG (1982). "Lhermitte's sign in multiple sclerosis: a clinical survey and review of the literature". J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 45 (4): 308–12. PMID 7077340.