title: Serum creatinine level: a supplemental index to distinguish Duchenne muscular dystrophy from Becker muscular dystrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To improve assessment of dystrophinopathy, the aim of this study was to identify whether serum creatinine (Crn) level reflects disease severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biochemical, Vignos score, and genetic data were collected on 212 boys with dystrophinopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum Crn level had a strong inverse correlation with Vignos score by simple correlation (r = -0.793) and partial correlation analysis after adjustment for age, height, and weight (r = -0.791; both P < 0.01). Serum Crn level was significantly higher in patients with in-frame than out-of-frame mutations (Z = -4.716,  P < 0.01) and in Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) patients than Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients at ages 4, 5, 7, and 9 yr (all P < 0.0125). After adjusting for age, height, and weight, BMD patients still had a significantly higher serum Crn level than DMD patients (β = 7.140,  t = 6.277,  P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum Crn level reflected disease severity and may serve as a supplemental index to distinguish DMD from BMD in clinical practice.
authors: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Huili
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Yuling
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Healthcare Clinic, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Yiming
authors: Y
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Yingyin
authors: Y
authors: Liang
authors: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Yaqin
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Langhui
authors: L
authors: Deng
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Xingxuan
authors: X
authors: Wen
authors: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003404:Creatinine