Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Functional abilities, respiratory and cardiac function in a large cohort of adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy treated with glucocorticoids

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Marianela Schiava, Dr John Bourke, Meredith JamesORCiD, Dr Maha Elseed, Dr Monika Malinova, Jassi Michell-Sodhi, Dionne Moat, Dr Liz Ghimenton, Dr Anna Mayhew, Karen Wong, Mark Richardson, Professor Giorgio TascaORCiD, Gail Eglon, Catherine TurnerORCiD, Emma HeslopORCiD, Professor Volker StraubORCiD, Professor Michela GuglieriORCiD

Downloads


Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).


Abstract

© 2024 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.Background and purpose: The transition to adult services, and subsequent glucocorticoid management, is critical in adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This study aims (1) to describe treatment, functional abilities, respiratory and cardiac status during transition to adulthood and adult stages; and (2) to explore the association between glucocorticoid treatment after loss of ambulation (LOA) and late-stage clinical outcomes. Methods: This was a retrospective single-centre study on individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (≥16 years old) between 1986 and 2022. Logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards models and survival analyses were conducted utilizing data from clinical records. Results: In all, 112 individuals were included. Mean age was 23.4 ± 5.2 years and mean follow-up was 18.5 ± 5.5 years. At last assessment, 47.2% were on glucocorticoids; the mean dose of prednisone was 0.38 ± 0.13 mg/kg/day and of deflazacort 0.43 ± 0.16 mg/kg/day. At age 16 years, motor function limitations included using a manual wheelchair (89.7%), standing (87.9%), transferring from a wheelchair (86.2%) and turning in bed (53.4%); 77.5% had a peak cough flow <270 L/min, 53.3% a forced vital capacity percentage of predicted <50% and 40.3% a left ventricular ejection fraction <50%. Glucocorticoids after LOA reduced the risk and delayed the time to difficulties balancing in the wheelchair, loss of hand to mouth function, forced vital capacity percentage of predicted <30% and forced vital capacity <1 L and were associated with lower frequency of left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, without differences between prednisone and deflazacort. Glucocorticoid dose did not differ by functional, respiratory or cardiac status. Conclusion: Glucocorticoids after LOA preserve late-stage functional abilities, respiratory and cardiac function. It is suggested using functional abilities, respiratory and cardiac status at transition stages for adult services planning.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Schiava M, Lofra RM, Bourke JP, Diaz-Manera J, James MK, Elseed MA, Malinova M, Michel-Sodhi J, Moat D, Ghimenton E, Mccallum M, Diaz CFB, Mayhew A, Wong K, Richardson M, Tasca G, Eglon G, Eagle M, Turner C, Heslop E, Straub V, Bettolo CM, Guglieri M

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: European Journal of Neurology

Year: 2024

Pages: epub ahead of print

Online publication date: 31/03/2024

Acceptance date: 14/02/2024

Date deposited: 18/04/2024

ISSN (print): 1351-5101

ISSN (electronic): 1468-1331

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.16267

DOI: 10.1111/ene.16267

Data Access Statement: Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request

PubMed id: 38556893


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share