More than 7 billion people worldwide have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 417.80 million in the United States. For neuralgic amyotrophy and brachial neuritis, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VERS) yielded 60 reports (mRNA-1273 (29), BNT162b2 (30), and J&J (1). The system is subject to significant limitations, including underreporting cases and reporting bias, as it is accessible to the general population.
Our assessment of cases revealed a clear gender bias, with most patients being male. The average age at the time of diagnosis was 52, with the youngest patient being identified at the age of 35 years (Table 5). Pain was the most prevalent symptom in all these instances, but its location varied. Our case was unique, as he presented us with atypical chest pain. In most instances, there were sensory complaints such as paresthesia or numbness, depending on which peripheral nerves were damaged.
Currently, no test definitively confirms or rules out the presence of PTS. Electrodiagnostic investigation and imaging modalities such as MRI and ultrasound eliminate other possible diagnoses. PTS is considered a type of injury that affects the axons, and needle electromyography can help determine and evaluate the extent of axonal damage and reinnervation. Electromyography requires a meticulous focus on the muscles of the upper limb. Across all these studies, including our own case report, there was a noticeable reduction in the activation of motor units in the afflicted muscles. In addition, MR neurography and high-resolution ultrasonography are highly useful diagnostic instruments. Two of the cases by Sophie depicted their significance in early detection.
Author(s) Details:
Mohammad Asim Amjad
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Texas Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
Zamara Hamid
Internal Medicine, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Yamini Patel
Internal Medicine, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Educations, Scranton, PA, USA.
Mujtaba Husain
Internal Medicine, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Educations, Scranton, PA, USA.
Ammad Saddique
Internal Medicine, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Educations, Scranton, PA, USA.
Adnan Liaqat
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mclaren Health/Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA.
Pius Ochieng
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton, PA, USA.
Recent Global Research Developments in Ultrasound and Physiotherapy for Parsonage-Turner Syndrome: Case Report
Parsonage-Turner Syndrome after COVID-19 Vaccination:
A case report published in BMC Neurology discusses a professional wrestler who developed PTS after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. The study highlights the use of corticosteroids during the acute phase and subsequent physical therapy to manage pain, inflammation, and muscle atrophy [1] .
Neuralgic Amyotrophy: Diagnosis and Treatment:
An article in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry reviews the paradigm shift in diagnosing and treating neuralgic amyotrophy (PTS). It emphasizes the role of high-resolution ultrasound in identifying structural nerve pathologies and discusses the potential benefits of peripheral nerve surgery [2] .
Ultrasound Diagnostic and Physiotherapy Management:
A study in Sensors presents a case report of a 23-year-old man with PTS. The paper proposes a new physiotherapy program and underscores the diagnostic value of modern ultrasound techniques [3] .
Hereditary Brachial Plexus Neuropathy and PTS:
This review in Mayo Clinic Proceedings provides an update on PTS and its hereditary counterpart. It covers diagnosis, treatment, and the application of ultrasound in detecting diaphragmatic involvement [4] .
References
- Ganjeh, S., Aslani, H., Kalantari, K.K. et al. Parsonage-Turner syndrome, affecting suprascapular nerve and especially to infraspinatus muscles after COVID-19 vaccination in a professional wrestler, a case report and literature review of causes and treatments. BMC Neurol 24, 187 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-024-03694-0
- Gstoettner, C., Mayer, J. A., Rassam, S., Hruby, L. A., Salminger, S., Sturma, A., … & Aszmann, O. C. (2020). Neuralgic amyotrophy: a paradigm shift in diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 91(8), 879-888.
- Wolny T, Glibov K, Granek A, Linek P. Ultrasound Diagnostic and Physiotherapy Approach for a Patient with Parsonage–Turner Syndrome—A Case Report. Sensors. 2023; 23(1):501. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010501
- Meiling, J. B., Boon, A. J., Niu, Z., Howe, B. M., Hoskote, S. S., Spinner, R. J., & Klein, C. J. (2024, January). Parsonage-Turner Syndrome and Hereditary Brachial Plexus Neuropathy. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 99, No. 1, pp. 124-140). Elsevier.
