CARDIORESPIRATORY FUNCTION IN DUCHENNE AND BECKER MUSCULAR-DYSTROPHY

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cardiorespiratory fun ction in Duchenne (DMD) and Decker muscular dystrophy (BMO) patients a nd to determine whether there is a correlation between these functions and muscular strength. The study involved 32 patients with progressiv e muscular dystrophy (28 DMD and four BMD. The mean age of the patient s was 9.6+/-3.5 years. Cardiac investigations were performed in all of the patients, and pulmonary function tests were obtained in 16 cases. In five cases (31%), vital capacity (VC) was less than 80 percent of the predicted value. There was a good correlation between VC and muscu lar strength. There were various cardiologic findings in 50 percent of the cases with DMD. Electrocardiographic changes were present in 43 p ercent of the patients. Left ventricular systolic function in the pati ents who could not walk was significantly lower than that of the patie nts who could walk There may be some unknown mechanisms that preserve left ventricular function relatively in the normal range in spite of c ardiac involvement.