INSPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IN PATIENTS WITH DUCHENNE MUSCULAR-DYSTROPHY

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of a speci fic inspiratory muscle training in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Patients and methods: Fifteen patients with DMD started 6 months of tr aining the inspiratory muscles and 15 patients served as a control gro up. Pulmonary and inspiratory muscle function parameters were assessed 3 months before and at the beginning of training, in the first and th ird month of training, at the end, and 6 months after its cessation. M aximal sniff assessed esophageal and transdiaphragmatic pressure value s served as indices for global inspiratory muscle strength and diaphra gmatic strength, respectively. Inspiratory muscle endurance was assess ed by the length of time a certain inspiratory task could be maintaine d. Results: In 10 of the 15 patients, respiratory muscle function para meters improved significantly after 1 month of training. Further impro vements were to be seen after 3 and after 6 months. Even 6 months afte r the end of training, those effects remained to a large extent. In th e other five patients, there was no such improvement after 1 month of training, which was therefore discontinued. All these five patients ha d vital capacity values of less than 25 percent predicted and/or PaCO2 values of more than 45 mm Hg. The 15 control patients had no signific ant change in their respiratory muscle function parameters. Conclusion : We conclude that a specific inspiratory muscle training is useful in the early stage of DMD.