title: Cardiac treatment in neuro-muscular diseases.
abstract: The authors have been treating heart involvement in muscle dystrophy since 1978. However, this study aimed to define recent therapeutic protocols, evaluating the results of cardiac treatment, performed between 1st February 2004 and 31st July, 2006. In this period, 100 Becker, 136 Duchenne, 44 Limb-girdle and 116 Steinert patients were treated. In that same period, a large group of MD patients refusing cardiac therapy have also been followed. All patients had previously been classified in the appropriate stage of cardiomyopathy and examined at least twice every year and even every week if presenting heart failure. The results show the usefulness of the recent protocols of treatment of cardiac involvement in muscle dystrophy patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Cardiomyology and Medical Genetics Service, Second University of Naples, Italy. giovanni.nigro@unina2.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Politano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Passamano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Comi
mesh_terms: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D017328:Fosinopril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D049288:Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle / Q000150:complications*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000150:complications*; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000150:complications*; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D049994:Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011282:Pregnenediones; D049994:Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D005665:Furosemide; C021988:deflazacort; D017328:Fosinopril