Article

Standard neurophysiological techniques evaluate exclusively large myelinated
fibers, but are not useful to explore sensory small fibers. Quantitative sensory
tests have been developed to explore the thermal nociceptive function but this
exploration is only subjective. Laser evoked potentials (LEPs) represent a noninvasive and objective test to explore thermal and nociceptive pathways. The
clinical interest of LEPs have been assessed recently in the diagnosis of small
fibers sensory neuropathies. In routine, the determination of detection and
nociceptive thresholds, the analysis of N2P2 latencies and amplitudes enable
demonstration of a dysfunction of A delta nerve fibers, to quantify these lesions
and to determine whether the neuropathies are length-dependent or not. The LEP
amplitude is negatively correlated to deafferentation. The interest of LEPs
remained to be studied compared to skin biopsy.
CI - Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : FRANCAIS