Quantitative assessment of calf circumference in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is clinically characterised by progressive muscle weakness and a gradual increase in the size of some affected muscles, especially calf muscles. The extent of calf enlargement is usually determined by subjective visual assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of calf muscle enlargement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients compared with healthy age matched boys by quantifying calf circumference. Calf circumference in the group of DMD patients is significantly increased. However, in individual patients calf enlargement can be feigned by a discrepancy between calf circumference and circumference of the upper leg and arm muscles as part of a general muscle atrophy.
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700, Groningen, The Netherlands. e.a.c.beenakker@neuro.azg.nl
E A C
EA
Beenakker
J
J
de Vries
J M
JM
Fock
M
M
van Tol
O F
OF
Brouwer
N M
NM
Maurits
J H
JH
van der Hoeven
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000473:pathology*