Video electroencephalogram combined with electromyography in the diagnosis of hyperkinetic movement disorders with an unknown cause

Objectives Diagnosis of hyperkinetic movement disorders with an unknown cause is usually challenging. The objective of this study is to learn about video electroencephalogram (VEEG) combined with electromyography (EMG) in the diagnosis of hyperkinetic movement disorders with an unknown cause. Methods We performed an observational cohort study by recruiting consecutive patients with hyperkinetic movements as the main manifestation with an unknown cause for VEEG combined with EMG evaluations. Results A total of 77 consecutive patients were enrolled for VEEG-EMG examination. Among them, 57 patients changed their diagnosis after VEEG-EMG assessment, with a mean final diagnosis age of 35.4 ± 20.3 years (range, 4–74 years). The mean duration between initial and final diagnosis was 54.8 ± 71.3 months (range 0.5–300 months). The most common misdiagnosed hyperkinetic movement disorders were myoclonus (40.4%), followed by tremors (24.6%), dystonia (15.8%), psychogenic movement disorders (10.5%), and periodic leg movement syndrome (PLMS) (7.0%). Outcomes of therapy were significantly improved after VEEG-EMG examination ( p = 0.000). Conclusions Simultaneous VEEG and EMG are important in the diagnosis of hyperkinetic movement disorders with an unknown cause.