Multiple averaged records to identify Aδ-fibers in sensory nerves.

Background: Existing methods identify only ≈10 Aδ-fibers in human sensory nerves per recording. This study examines methods to increase the detection of Aδ-fibers.

New Method: Two to 20 averages of 500 replicate responses to epidermal nerve stimulation are obtained.

Median amplitude and frequency analysis of sensory nerve responses to intraepidermal stimulation.

Background: In clinical practice, small myelinated sensory fibers conveying pain and other sensations, Aδ-fibers, cannot be examined with available nerve conduction study techniques.

New Method: Equipment available in clinical neurophysiology laboratories is used to record from human sensory nerves multiple averaged responses to non-painful stimulation of intraepidermal nerves. Ten averaged responses are analyzed in all possible pair combinations with an algorithm applied to a 0.

Slowly conducting potentials in human sensory nerves.

Background: In clinical practice, small myelinated sensory fibers, Aδ-fibers, conveying mainly pain and temperature sensations, cannot be examined with available nerve conduction study techniques. Currently, these fibers can only be examined with experimental or very specialized and not commonly available nerve conduction techniques, or only indirectly with cerebral evoked potentials.

New Method: This study uses equipment and methods available in clinical neurophysiology laboratories to record from human sensory nerves ≥1000 averaged responses to focal, non-painful stimuli applied by a special electrode to epidermal nerves.

[Nasojejunal enteral feeding tubes in critically ill patients. Successful placement without technical assistance].

Background: Critically ill patients with early enteral feeding seem to profit from post-pyloric administration. Two feeding tubes were studied that, due to their construction, are able to move into the duodenum without the necessity of technical support. The duration until successful positioning, time until total enteral feeding and possible complications were compared.

Clinical heterogeneity of familial spastic paraplegia linked to chromosome 2p21.

The clinical features of four families with autosomal dominant spastic paraparesis (FSP) are described, along with the results of linkage analysis to markers from the regions of chromosomes 2, 14, and 15 which are known to contain spastic paraplegia genes. All families had 'pure' spastic paraparesis (FSP), but the severity of symptoms varied widely among families, and other mild neurologic signs were observed in some subjects. Although no family individually yielded a lod score >3.