title: Classification of the gait patterns of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and their relationship to function.
abstract: Corticosteroids have recently been shown to reduce expected loss of muscle strength in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and extend the time they can walk. We evaluated 43 boys with the condition to determine whether taking corticosteroids is associated with differences in gait pattern, gross motor skills, energy efficiency, and timed motor performance. We used the gait deviation index to quantify the degree of gait pathology and a single measure of gait quality. There were minimal differences in gait pattern, gross motor skills, energy efficiency, or timed motor performance in boys who took corticosteroids compared with those who did not. Clustering by gait deviation index, however, revealed subtle differences between groups in gait patterns, gross motor skills, and energy efficiency. We conclude that, in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, gait pattern deviations are related to function, which can provide further insight into the understanding of disease progression and treatment options to enhance function and maintain ambulation.
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA. sst@shcc.org
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sienko Thomas
authors.forename: Cathleen E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Buckon
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicorici
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagley
authors.forename: Craig M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sussman
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000145:classification* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones