title: Frequency of cerebral infarction in patients with inherited neuromuscular diseases.
abstract: We evaluated the frequency of cerebral infarction in 131 patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, Becker's muscular dystrophy, or Friedreich's ataxia. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were found in 83% of patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, 56% with myotonic dystrophy, 50% with Becker's muscular dystrophy, and 25% with Friedreich's ataxia. Atrial flutter occurred in 2.3% of the patients, and atrial fibrillation in only 0.9%. Evidence of cerebral infarction was found in only 2 patients (1.5%). Both patients had cardiomyopathy and either atrial fibrillation or flutter. Despite frequent cardiac involvement, cerebral infarction is an uncommon occurrence in patients with inherited neuromuscular diseases.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005621:Friedreich Ataxia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*