The Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
- Author:
Seong Woong KANG
1
;
Sang Hui IM
;
Jae Ho MOON
;
Sa Yun PARK
;
Hyen Seok HUE
Author Information
1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rehabilitation Institute of Muscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea. dongin32@yahoo.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Duchenne muscular dystrophy;
Cardiomyopathy;
Echocardiography;
Electrocardiography
- MeSH:
Carbon Dioxide;
Cardiomyopathies;
Cardiomyopathy, Dilated;
Deoxycytidine Monophosphate;
Early Diagnosis;
Echocardiography;
Electrocardiography;
Heart;
Heart Ventricles;
Humans;
Hypertrophy;
Hypokinesia;
Mass Screening;
Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne*;
Physical Examination;
Respiratory Function Tests;
Tachycardia, Sinus;
Vital Capacity
- From:Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine
2004;28(6):559-564
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cardiac function and to explore the importance of the evaluation of cardiac function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). METHOD: Thirty-nine patients with DMD without any symptoms of heart problems underwent physical examinations and cardiac monitoring including the arterial carbon dioxide (CO2) screening. Thirty one patients underwent pulmonary function test. RESULTS: Among 39 patients 27 showed abnormal electrocardiographic findings such as ventricular hypertrophy, ischemic change, atrial hypertrophy, T wave inversion, sinus tachycardia and ST elevation. 24 patients showed abnormal echocardiographic findings such as abnormal ejection fraction, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP), filling abnormality of left ventricle, global hypokinesia and reduced systolic function. 17 patients showed low ejection fraction (below 59%) and 4 of them were diagnosed as DCMP. There were significant correlations between age and ejection fraction (r= 0.552, p<0.01), between functional level and ejection fraction (r= 0.607, p<0.01) and between vital capacity and ejection fraction (r=0.547, p<0.01). However, ejection fraction showed no significant correlations with arterial CO2. CONCLUSION: Routine evaluation of the cardiac function, at least from 10 years of age, and proper treatment following early diagnosis of heart problems were necessary in patients with DMD, because they possibly have been severely affected by cardiac problems without any clinical symptoms.
