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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Weakness And Difficulty In Moving The Fingers And Toes?

I have a patient that is a 97 yo AA male. He started becoming weak approx. 7 years ago and can now barely move his extremities. He is A & O x4, no sensory deficits and all blood tests and MRI s in the past came back inconclusive. He has muscle tone, just no strength to move them.
Fri, 26 Oct 2018
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Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Hello,

Your patient is 97 years i.e. Oldest old-85 years +; at this age sarcopenia (excessive loss of muscle mass that occurs in older persons) is the most common cause of generalized muscle weakness. 

The best measure of sarcopenia is based on the appendicular skeletal mass as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), divided by the height in metres squared.

Alternatively, Ultrasound is also an excellent measure of muscle mass loss in older persons.

Hand Grip strength by Handgrip Dynamometer (weak grip

Serum 25(OH) Vit D level can also be measured as Hypovitaminosis D is associated with decreased muscle strength.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Take care

Regards,
Dr Tushar Kanti Biswas, Internal Medicine Specialist
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What Causes Weakness And Difficulty In Moving The Fingers And Toes?

Hello, Your patient is 97 years i.e. Oldest old-85 years +; at this age sarcopenia (excessive loss of muscle mass that occurs in older persons) is the most common cause of generalized muscle weakness.  The best measure of sarcopenia is based on the appendicular skeletal mass as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), divided by the height in metres squared. Alternatively, Ultrasound is also an excellent measure of muscle mass loss in older persons. Hand Grip strength by Handgrip Dynamometer (weak grip Serum 25(OH) Vit D level can also be measured as Hypovitaminosis D is associated with decreased muscle strength. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care Regards, Dr Tushar Kanti Biswas, Internal Medicine Specialist