title: The diagnostic value of plasma myoglobin levels in the adult and fetus at-risk for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
abstract: In boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) plasma myoglobin levels remained approximately constant with age while creatine kinase (CK) activity progressively decreased. For carrier detection, plasma myoglobin level was found to be less reliable than CK activity. The myoglobin level was raised only in some of those subjects who also showed a raised CK activity and was normal in those with a normal CK activity. The myoglobin level in fetal muscle at 18-22 weeks gestational age was found to be low compared with adult skeletal muscle levels and, consequently, the myoglobin level in fetal plasma and in amniotic fluid was found to be negligible. It is concluded that measurement of myoglobin offers no advantage over CK for the investigation of any aspect of DMD.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000201:enzymology; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009211:Myoglobin; D003402:Creatine Kinase