title: Diagnosis of occult muscular dystrophy: importance of the "chance" finding of elevated serum aminotransferase activities.
abstract: We report our experience with four children, including one girl, in whom the eventual diagnosis of muscular dystrophy was made because of persistent, unexplained elevated serum aminotransferase values. Measurement of serum creatine kinase activity and careful physical examination are the most useful and cost-effective means of correctly identifying these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Floating Hospital for Children, New England Medical Center Hospitals, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Rosman
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016189:Dystrophin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase