Conservative therapeutical strategies in muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive muscle disorder for which pres ently no specific drug therapy is available. Although many substances have been tested only steroids demonstrated an increase of muscle mass and muscl e force. The most frequently observed side effects include increase of weig ht, hirsutism, and cushingoid appearance. Patients who may be considered fo r steroids are patients older than five years who are still able to walk. A new concept in managing muscular dystrophy is myoblast transfer therapy. A lthough an increase of donor-derived dystrophin-positive fibers has been sh own in the animal modell, placebo-controlled double-blind studies failed to demonstrate any clinical improvement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patien ts.