Background
Floppy infant syndrome has a number of different etiologies.
Methods: One hundred twenty-three consecutive patients of floppy infant syndrome were included in this study. We reviewed all the electrophysiologic tests of these patients and the medical record of patients showing abnormalities in the electrophysiologic studies.
Results
Of the 123 patients, twenty-six (21.1%) showed definite abnormalities in electrophysiologic tests; 8 myopathies, 14 neuropathies and 4 unclassified. The neuropathy was further classified as 5 neuronopathies and 9 sensorimotor polyneuropathies. With muscle or sural nerve biopsy and genetic test, a final diagnosis was made of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 4, Becker muscular dystrophy in 1, spinal muscular atrophy in 2, and metachromatic leukodystrophy in 1.
Conclusions
About 21% of patients presented with floppy infant syndrome showed abnormalities in the neuromuscular system. The electrophysiologic test is valuable to guide further investigations in diagnosing the cause of floppy infant syndrome.
