Comparison of motor strength and function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy with or without steroid therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare muscle strength (MS) and motor function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) receiving steroids for different times against the natural evolution of DMD described by Scott et al.


METHODS
90 patients with DMD (aged 5- 12 years), receiving steroids for one to seven years, were evaluated by Medical Research Council Scale (MRC) and Hammersmith motor ability score. The relation between MS and motor abilities measurement from our data and Scott's ones were ascertained statistically.


RESULTS
The relation between patient's age and Hammersmith scores revealed decrease of 0.76 point per year for age against decrease of 2.23 points on Scott's study. The relation between MRC scale and patient's age showed decrease of 0.80 point per year of age against decrease of 3.65 points on Scott's study.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with DMD aged five to 12 years the progression of the disease is delayed by steroids and the motor function is less reduced than muscular strength.
Department of Neurology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. samaralsparreira@ibest.com.br
Samara Lamounier Santana
SL
Parreira
Maria Bernadete Dutra
MB
Resende
Edmar
E
Zanoteli
Mary Souza
MS
Carvalho
Suely Kazue
SK
Marie
Umbertina Conti
UC
Reed
D000367:Age Factors; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011282:Pregnenediones; D011239:Prednisolone; C021988:deflazacort