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Query: UMLS:C0026850 (muscular dystrophy)
 5,870 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Contraction tension and kinetics of the peroneus longus muscle were studied in dogs with the Duchenne homologue, golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD), in advance of evaluating localized therapies such as myoblast transplantation. Absolute and both muscle- and body-weight-corrected twitch tension in GRMD dogs were low compared to normal litter mates at 3 months of age (p < 0.0005 for all). Tetanic tension was affected similarly. However, whereas absolute values were still reduced at 6 months (p < 0.0005 for twitch and 0.005 for tetany), twitch and tetanic tension corrected for either muscle or body weight was not statistically different, suggesting that the peroneus longus may be relatively spared in GRMD. Post-tetanic potentiation was more pronounced in GRMD versus normal dogs at both 3 (p < 0.0001) and 6 (p < 0.01) months. The degree of positive staircase at 3 months of age did not differ. Twitch contraction and relaxation times were dramatically prolonged, and there was concomitant sustained electrical activity, at, or before, 6 months of age in some severely affected dogs. Relatively few carriers were evaluated at these ages, but their values were similar to those of normal dogs. Apparent sparing of the peroneus longus muscle may limit application of this technique to evaluation of therapies administered early in life or in combination with toxins. Treatment to alter changes in contraction kinetics could also be assessed.
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PMID:Contraction tension and kinetics of the peroneus longus muscle in golden retriever muscular dystrophy. 806

Force generated due to torque caused by tarsal joint flexion and extension was measured noninvasively at 3, 4.5, 6, and 12 months of age in dogs with the Duchenne homologue, golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD). Absolute and body-weight-corrected GRMD twitch and tetanic force values were lower than normal at all ages (P<0.01 for most). Tarsal flexion and extension were differentially affected. Flexion values were especially low at 3 months, whereas extension was affected more at later ages. Several other GRMD findings differed from normal. The twitch/tetany ratio was generally lower; post-tetanic potentiation for flexion values was less marked; and extension relaxation and contraction times were longer. The consistency of GRMD values was studied to determine which measurements will be most useful in evaluating treatment outcome. Standard deviation was proportionally greater for GRMD versus normal recordings. More consistent values were seen for tetany versus twitch and for flexion versus extension. Left and right limb tetanic flexion values did not differ in GRMD; extension values were more variable. These results suggest that measurement of tarsal tetanic force should be most useful to document therapeutic benefit in GRMD dogs.
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PMID:Contraction force generated by tarsal joint flexion and extension in dogs with golden retriever muscular dystrophy. 1047 4