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A mathematical analysis of creatine kinase activity in the course of duchenne muscular dystrophy
Author(s) -
Pernice W.,
Guggolz M. A.,
Guggolz M.,
Beckmann R.,
Wais U.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880090409
Subject(s) - duchenne muscular dystrophy , creatine kinase , muscular dystrophy , medicine , dystrophin
Recently, clinical follow‐up studies have shown that the age of first symptoms and the speed of progress may vary considerably in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Prognostic factors would be of interest not only for the patients themselves, but also for the selection of DMD patients for therapeutic studies. Creatine kinase (CK) activity reflects the dystrophic degeneration of the muscle cells. Therefore, the coherence of the course of CK activity and its relationship to the clinical state was investigated with the aid of a heuristic mathetmatical formula. Two constants were calculated, b and c The data of 88 DMD patients proved the validity of the mathematical formula. Constant b seemed to be of no clinical relevance. The height of constant c was related to the age at which the ability to walk was lost ( r = −0.76). This constant provides an objective individual assessment of the prognosis in DMD. In addition, the mathematical analysis of the CK course opens the way for a prospective CK estimation, which is relevant for the evaluation of therapeutic trials.