Gastric Motor Functionsin Patients with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy

Choi, Eui Young; Park, Hyo Jin; Chung, Byung Chun; Song, Jong Won; Sohn, Young Mo; Lee, Sang In; Park, In Suh

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Duchenne' s muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disease that causes skeletal and cardiac muscle degeneration leading to progressive weakness and death before the end of the third decade of life. Recently, many patients have complained of gastric disturbances and various gastric symptoms due to the involvement of gastric smooth muscle. Therefore, we have evaluated gastric motor functions using electrogastrography and gastric emptying scan in patients with DMD.
METHODS
Total 25 subjects were employed in this study including 15 patients with DMD, 10 normal control group. The mean ages (+/-SD) of patient and control group were 13.8 (+/-7.2) and 15.8 (+/-6.3) years, respectively. For each subject, gastric emptying scan was performed with dual head gamma camera. Electrogastrography was performed with Digitrapper EGG.
RESULTS
Gastric emptying time (GET) [T1/2(min)] was significantly (p<0.05) delayed in DMD group (79.7 +/-35.7) compared with control group (55.0 +/-15.1). In DMD group, GET (T1/2) of patients who complained of upper gastrointestinal symptoms (n=5, 112.8 +/-30.9 min.) was much longer (p<0.05) than that of patients who did not complain (n=10, 63.2 +/-25.4 min.). As the disease progressed more severely, GET was more delayed (r=0.548, p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Duchenne' s muscular dystrophy involves gastric smooth muscle as well as skeletal muscle and then, results in delayed gastric emptying. The severity of the disease affects GET.