title: Upper limb function in adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine upper limb function and associated factors in adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 70 men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (age range 20-43 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  General motor function and, in particular, upper limb distal motor function, were assessed with the Motor Function Measure. Muscle strength and range of motion of the upper limb were evaluated using hand-held dynamo-metry, manual muscle-testing and goniometry. Associations were studied using Spearman's correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General motor function was severely impaired. Wide variability was found in distal motor function, muscle strength and range of motion of the upper limb, especially in early adulthood. Muscle strength and range of motion explained 76% of the variance in upper limb distal motor function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study illustrates a large variability in upper limb function in adult patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and identifies muscle strength and range of motion as factors strongly associated with upper limb function. These results suggest that preserving muscle strength and range of motion in Duchenne patients might be relevant for a better outcome of distal motor function of the upper limb when adult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Pangalila
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bergen
authors.forename: Nicolle A M
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cobben
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.forename: Marij E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Roebroeck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult