Abstract |
Since Chaney reported the measurement of ankle jerk in
Patients with myxedema for the first time, slowing of
the reflex in myxedema has been well documented by many
authors. Although its mechanisms have not been
elucidated clearly, it has long been held in esteem by
clinicians a near pathognomonic sign in myxedema.
Possible mechanisms suggested include (a) abnormal
activity of the central nervous system, (b) a disorder
of muscle like that of myotonia (c) lowered temperature
of the muscle, (d) increased viscosity of themuscle due
to myxdematous infiltration and (e) part of a general
slowing of all vital processes. The brisk reflex in
thyrotoxicosis has also been noted to be
characteristic. The recent development of several
simple methods of quantitating the deep tendon reflex
time has made its application an easy, rapid,
inexpensive and accurate test in the results of our
examinations on the Achilles tendon reflex(ATR) times
in normal Koreans along their sexes, ages and in
various thyroid diseases. Also we observed the changes
of ATR times in the thyrotoxicosis and myxedema after
the initiation of treatment and compared them with
other thyroid function tests.
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