Cardiac involvement in Becker's muscular dystrophy, necessitating heart transplantation, 6 years before apparent skeletal muscle involvement.
In Becker's muscular dystrophy cardiac abnormalities usually occur after onset of neuromuscular symptoms. We describe a Becker muscular dystrophy patient in whom chronic heart failure, necessitating cardiac transplantation, was the initial manifestation. Neuromuscular symptoms occurred not earlier than 6 years after the initial cardiac symptoms and 5 years after heart transplantation. In conclusion, severe heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy may be the initial manifestation of Becker's muscular dystrophy and may predate neuromuscular symptoms for years.
Finsterer
J
J
Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research in Epilepsy and Neuromuscular Disorders, Vienna, Austria. fij@2nr.nkr.magwien.gv.at
Bittner
R E
RE
Grimm
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000209:etiology; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors