Quantitative evaluation of pseudohypertrophy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Ichiyama, T.
No to Hattatsu 23(6): 567-570
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0831 PMID: 1760202 Document Number: 370047
In order to evaluate pseudohypertrophy of the calves in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) quantitatively, we measured the circumference of the thigh, knee, calf, and ankle in total 7 patients with DMD whose ages ranged from 3 to 5 years, and 165 healthy boys aged 3 to 6 years. Simple value of the calf circumference was not useful to evaluate pseudohypertrophy in DMD, because the circumference was variable following to the nutrition (Kaup index) in healthy boys. Various ratios were then tested for the calf circumference in relation to the thigh, knee, or ankle circumference. Of these, the calf/knee circumference ratio was the most informative; the values of 13 out of 14 affected legs were above the mean +2 SD.