Document Type

Article

Original Publication Date

1978

Journal/Book/Conference Title

The New England Journal of Medicine

Volume

299

Issue

16

First Page

841

Last Page

846

DOI of Original Publication

10.1056/NEJM197810192991601

Comments

Originally published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJM197810192991601

Date of Submission

January 2015

Abstract

Abstract

We studied lymphocyte capping in 61 patients with Duchenne, Becker, limb-girdle, facioscapulohumeral and congenital muscular dystrophies. All showed a markedly diminished percentage of capped cells when compared with 86 normal controls, providing support for previous evidence that an alteration in membrane fluidity may be a common pathogenic feature in several genetically distinct forms of proximal muscular dystrophy.

Heterozygous carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy showed diminished capping that was indistinguishable from that of afflicted males and was often present even when serum enzyme levels were normal. Studies in 25 families with 16 suspected sporadic cases indicated that no more than four out of 30 afflicted males may represent new mutations.

These findings imply that most cases of Duchenne dystrophy might be prevented by a population screening program for carrier females combined with prenatal detection of afflicted males. (N Engl J Med 299:841–846, 1978)

Rights

From The New England Journal of Medicine, Pickard, N.A., Gruemer, H.D., Verrill, H.L., et al., Systemic Membrane Defect in the Proximal Muscular Dystrophies, Vol. 299, Page 841, Copyright © 1978 Massachusetts Medical Society. Reprinted with permission.

Is Part Of

VCU Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

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