Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy:

  • Inherited condition
  • Affects males
  • Affects 18 - 30 per 100 000 males at birth
  • The most severe of the muscular dystrophies
  • Rapidly progressive degeneration of muscle - muscles fibres replaced by fat
  • Proximal muscles weakness is more common than distal
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy:

  • X Linked Recessive Disease
  • so only mothers have it and have a 1 in 4 chance to pass it onto their sons

  
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy:

  • Child shows delayed motor milestones at age 3 - 5 years
  • By the age of 13 yrs independent ambulation (cant walk independently) is lost in 100% of cases
  • Can develop contractures
  • Deformity – scoliosis
  • Cardiac myopathy - weak heart
  • Incurable and ultimately fatal disease