Beyond Ambulation: Measuring Physical Activity in Youth with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disease affecting 1 in 4700 male births [1]. A mutation in the dystrophin gene leads to progressive skeletal and cardiac muscle dysfunction [2]. Most patients lose the ability to ambulate between ages 10 and 13 years and subsequently develop progressive cardiac disease in late teenage years [3,4]. Life has been prolonged for patients with DMD with noninvasive ventilatory support [5]. Current standard of care includes corticosteroids, which have been shown to improve strength and pulmonary function [6,7].

Source: Neuromuscular Disorders - February 19, 2020 Category: Neurology Authors: Mary Killian, Maciej S. Buchowski, Thomas Donnelly, W. Bryan Burnette, Larry W. Markham, James C. Slaughter, Meng Xu, Kimberly Crum, Bruce M. Damon, Jonathan H. Soslow Source Type: research