Diagnostic accuracy of the neurological upper limb examination I: Inter-rater reproducibility of selected findings and patterns

Table 5 Reproducibility of classification into defined patterns in 82 limbs (Abbreviations table 2)

Location of mechanical allodynia	Patterns		Number of limbs classified in agreement		Correlation (95% CI)
	Reduced strength	Sensory deviations	Pattern absent	Pattern present
Brachial plexus (Upper trunk level), Figure 3	Infraspinatus, post. deltoid, biceps	Axillary, musculocutaneous	58	5	0.56 (0.39–0.69)
Brachial plexus (Cord level), Figure 4	Post. deltoid, biceps, FCR ^a	Axillary, median, musculocutaneous	48	21	0.82 (0.73–0.88)
Suprascapular nerve (Suprascapular notch), Figure 3	Infraspinatus	-	55	4	0.45 (0.26–0.61)
Axillary nerve (Quadrilateral space), Figure 3-4	Posterior deltoid	Axillary	53	20	0.79 (0.69–0.86)
Musculocutaneous nerve (Coracobrachial muscle), Figure 3-4	Biceps	Musculocutaneous	66	4	0.74 (0.62–0.83)
Radial nerve (Upper arm), Figure 6	Triceps, ECRB, EPL	Radial	64	13	0.83 (0.75–0.89)
Posterior interosseous nerve, Figure 6	ECU	-	66	10	0.75 (0.64–0.83)
Median nerve (Elbow level), Figure 5	FCR, FPL	Median	54	10	0.82 (0.73–0.88)
Carpal tunnel, Figure 5	APB	Median	79	1	0.73 (0.61–0.82)
Ulnar nerve (Elbow level), Figure 7	FDP V, ADM	Ulnar	74	2	0.70 (0.57–0.80)

a. Depending of the extent of brachial plexus involvement, reduced strength in additional muscles were allowed. The infraspinatus muscle, however, should be intact (Figure 4).

ISSN: 1471-2377