Department of Neurology, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Department of Physiology, Division of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Neurol Sci. 2023 Aug;44(8):2787-2793. doi: 10.1007/s10072-023-06719-7. Epub 2023 Mar 6.
Among eye movements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we identified the characteristics of square-wave jerks (SWJs) seen during times without visual fixation (VF) and analyzed their relationships with clinical parameters.
Clinical symptoms were evaluated and eye movements were tested using electronystagmography in 15 patients with ALS (10 men, 5 women; mean age, 66.9 ± 10.5 years). SWJs with and without VF were recorded, and their characteristics were identified. Relationships between each SWJ parameter and clinical symptoms were evaluated. Results were compared with eye movement data from 18 healthy individuals.
The frequency of SWJs without VF was significantly higher in the ALS group than in the healthy group (P < 0.001). When the condition was changed from VF to no-VF in the ALS group, the frequency of SWJs was significantly higher in healthy subjects (P = 0.004). A positive correlation was seen between frequency of SWJs and percentage predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC) (R = 0.546, P = 0.035).
The frequency of SWJs was higher with VF in healthy people, and was suppressed without VF. In contrast, the frequency of SWJs was not suppressed without VF in ALS patients. This suggests that SWJs without VF have some clinical significance in ALS patients. Moreover, a relationship was noted between the parameters of SWJs without VF in ALS patients and results of pulmonary function tests, suggesting that SWJs during times without VF may offer a clinical parameter of ALS.
在肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）的眼球运动中，我们发现了在无视觉固视（VF）期间出现的方形波急跳（SWJ）的特征，并分析了它们与临床参数的关系。
对 15 名 ALS 患者（10 名男性，5 名女性；平均年龄 66.9 ± 10.5 岁）进行临床症状评估和眼动电图检查。记录有和无 VF 的 SWJ，并确定其特征。评估每个 SWJ 参数与临床症状之间的关系。结果与 18 名健康个体的眼动数据进行比较。
无 VF 的 SWJ 频率在 ALS 组中明显高于健康组（P<0.001）。当 ALS 组从 VF 变为无 VF 时，SWJ 的频率在健康对照组中明显更高（P=0.004）。SWJ 频率与预计用力肺活量百分比（%FVC）呈正相关（R=0.546，P=0.035）。
在健康人群中，VF 时 SWJ 的频率较高，无 VF 时则受到抑制。相反，在 ALS 患者中，无 VF 时 SWJ 的频率并未受到抑制。这表明无 VF 的 SWJ 在 ALS 患者中具有一定的临床意义。此外，还注意到 ALS 患者无 VF 时的 SWJ 参数与肺功能测试结果之间存在关系，提示无 VF 期间的 SWJ 可能为 ALS 的临床参数。
