Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35024511›Full record

ArticleClinical neurophysiology practice2022

The split-elbow index: A biomarker of the split elbow sign in ALS.

Nathan Pavey, Mana Higashihara, Mehdi A J van den Bos, Parvathi Menon, Steve Vucic

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical neurophysiology practice, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
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  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Nathan PaveyBrain and Nerve Research Center, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Mana HigashiharaDepartment of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Mehdi A J van den BosBrain and Nerve Research Center, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Parvathi MenonBrain and Nerve Research Center, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Steve VucicBrain and Nerve Research Center, Concord Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
University of Sydney · AUTokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe split elbow sign is a clinical feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), characterised by preferential weakness of biceps brachii muscle compared to triceps. A novel neurophysiological index, termed the

methodsClinical and neurophysiological assessment was prospectively undertaken on 34 ALS patients and 32 ALS mimics. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude was recorded from biceps brachii and triceps muscles from which the SEI was calculated using the following formula:

resultsThe split elbow sign was significantly more common in ALS patients when compared to ALS mimic patients (P < 0.05). The SEI was significantly reduced in ALS patients when compared to ALS mimics (P < 0.01). This reduction was evident in spinal and bulbar onset ALS. A SEI cut-off value of ≤0.62 exhibited a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 61%.

conclusionsThe split elbow sign is significantly more common in ALS patients, and was supported by a reduction in the SEI. SIGNIFICANCE: The SEI may be utilised as a surrogate biomarker of the split elbow sign in future ALS studies.

Indexed as

ALSSplit-elbow indexSplit elbow sign

Identifiers

PMID35024511
PMCPMC8733259
OpenAlexW4200432540

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.