title: Autosomal recessive, fatal infantile hypertonic muscular dystrophy among Canadian Natives.
abstract: We describe eleven mid-western Canadian aboriginal infants with a unique, progressive muscle disorder. All except one had muscle biopsy and/or autopsy. The infants were normal newborns who rapidly developed rigidity of all skeletal muscles, with early, respiratory insufficiency. Death occurred before 18 months of age. Electromyography showed increased insertion activity and profuse fibrillation potentials; motor unit potentials and interference pattern are normal until late in the course. Pathologic features include progressive, granular to powdery Z-band transformation, myofibrillar loss, and muscle regeneration. SDS-gel electrophoresis of one muscle sample revealed increased 54kDa and reduced 80kDa protein fractions. This disease differs from other conditions with Z-band alterations because of continuous muscle activity and relentless clinical progression. The clinical features, elevated serum creatine kinase, electromyographic and muscle biopsy findings suggest a dystrophic process. The recognition of this condition as an autosomal recessive disorder allows appropriate genetic counselling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Lacson
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Seshia
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Sarnat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: DeGroot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chudley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: H Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Darwish
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuhn
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D004576:Electromyography; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010375:Pedigree
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins