Active clinical trials for "Muscular Dystrophies"

It is now accepted that physical activity is not deleterious in myopathies, including muscular dystrophies. In patients suffering from facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), aerobic training has been reported to be associated with physiological and functional positive effects without alteration in quality of life. Van der Kooi et al. (2005) and Cup et al. (2007) studies suggest that the combination of endurance and strength trainings is even more relevant. However, only a few controlled and randomized studies have been conducted on this topic and the impact of such training programs on skeletal muscle regenerative capacities has not been addressed yet. Moreover, due to the fact that training programs are mainly performed on short-term supervised periods, there is a lack of knowledge regarding long-term effects, patient's autonomy and whether or not practice of regular exercise can be maintained in patient's daily life. Also, only a few experiments report an integrative view of potential benefits of such programs on functional, biological and quality of life.

An investigation of disease progression in adult danish patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. The disease progression is followed for a year with two test-days, including functional muscle tests and a MRI scan of muscles in the back and legs.

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston Neurology Department invite children to participate in a new research study. Researchers are looking for boys ages 2 - 30 with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and healthy boys ages 2 - 30 (without any nerve or muscle concerns) to serve as controls. The study is evaluating a new technique that will test nerve and muscle function. The testing is all pain free. Children participating in the study will come in for 10 visits over two years. Visits will take place every month at first, then less often for the remaining visits. The tests for the study itself take approximately 2hours. If participants are interested or would like to learn more about the study, please call Lavanya Madabusi at 617-919-3554 or Lavanya.Madabusi@childrens.harvard.edu. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.

Background: - Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a disease in which the muscles are unable to make the protein dystrophin. Without this protein, the muscles become gradually weaker. A new medicine called GSK2402968 is being tested to see if it can help prevent or slow down this loss of muscle strength. In this study, boys with DMD and healthy volunteers will have different types of imaging studies to see which ones provide the best images of the muscles. This information will help researchers use these imaging techniques to test the safety and effectiveness of GSK2402968 and other agents. Objectives: - To test magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound techniques that can detect changes in muscles of boys with DMD. Eligibility: Boys who have DMD and are in the GSK2402968 drug test study. Healthy boys of the same age as the above study participants. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical exam. Healthy volunteers will have one 2-hour visit with three tests. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the skeletal muscles and heart and diaphragm muscles will be carried out. Muscle ultrasound imaging of leg and arm muscles will also be done. Participants should not perform heavy physical activity like school sports or long walks during the week before the visit. Participants in the GSK2402968 study will have the same series of tests as the healthy volunteers. The tests will be given during the study screening phase. They will be repeated after 3 months and 6 months of receiving the study agent (GSK2402968 or placebo) and at 6 months after stopping the GSK study.

Data on preventive therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) affected individuals without cardiac involvement are very limited and currently lacking regard both ACE-inhibitors and Beta-Blockers in Becker Muscular Dystrophy and for the latter even in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients. Thus, the study aim is to compare the efficacy of carvedilol vs ramipril on myocardial tissue properties and heart function, performing CMR and myocardial Ultrasound Tissue Characterisation analysis.

Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) is one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy, characterized by pronounced skeletal weakness and with a broad spectrum of diseases. It is a hereditary disease seen in 3-5/100,000 of society, usually starting with weakness in the facial and shoulder muscles and progressing to the trunk, pelvis and leg muscles, giving symptoms in the twenties. In FSHD, which shows slow progression and can lead to loss of ambulation ability in about 20% of patients, patients may have difficulty performing activities above shoulder level with the influence of the periscapular area. The goal of FSHD treatment is to improve muscle strength and/or function. Treatments include medical, conservative and surgical methods. The aim of surgical methods is to improve shoulder function and prevent pain caused by the movements of the scapula. The publications on physiotherapy interventions and aerobic exercise are available as conservative treatment. In patients diagnosed with FSHD, conservative treatment is frequently used to improve muscle strength, regulate function and improve the quality of life of patients. Patients with FSHD use their affected upper extremities asymmetrically, which leads to the development of restrictive compensation mechanisms in the development of symmetrical postural control. Postural control deficits may occur due to limited use of the affected scapula in individuals with FSHD. Accordingly, in cases with FSHD, there is the use of atypical movements for balance and mobility. It is not yet known whether people with FSHD really have poorer dynamic stability during self-initiated whole-body movements such as walking, and at what stage of the disease these difficulties arise. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of rehabilitation approaches applied to the upper limb on upper limb function, balance and walking in patients with FSHD. H1: Within the group of patients with FSHD patients underwent surgery arthrodesis surgery scapulothoracic applied to pre-treatment with the parameters of the rehabilitation program for the evaluation of upper limb functionality after applying the upper extremities, postural control and gait parameters examined, there is statistical difference between the groups.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Upper Limb Short Questionnaire (ULSQ) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Materials and methods: A total of 41 children with DMD have participated in the study. Upper and lower extremities functional levels were assessed with Vignos Scale and Brooke Upper Extremity Functional Rating Scale, respectively. The construct validity of the questionnaire was determined using the correlation between the ULSQ and ABILHAND-Kids. The Cronbach alpha value was calculated to determine internal consistency. To determine test-retest reliability, 17 randomly selected children were evaluated seven days after the first evaluation, and the "Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)" value was calculated.

The purpose of this study is to identify potential biomarkers for the diagnosis, disease progression assessment and response to treatment in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The purpose of this research study is to demonstrate that individuals with upper limb paralysis due to spinal cord injury, brachial plexus injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and brain stem stroke can successfully achieve direct brain control of assistive devices using an electrocorticography (ECoG)-based brain computer interface system.

The purpose of this study is to understand the biochemistry of different types of Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) and to determine appropriate outcome measures for future clinical treatment trials for LGMD. It is being conducted at two sites in the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG). It involves a one day clinical evaluation at a participating institution that will take approximately four to six hours, and will involve strength testing and muscle functional testing by a physical therapist, an evaluation by a physician, pulmonary function testing, a complete cardiac evaluation with electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) and echocardiogram (Echo), and involve two blood draws, one before the evaluation and one after the evaluation is complete. During the visit, the participant will be asked to fill out a couple of questionnaires asking questions about quality of life and activity limitations, as well as his/her understanding of their diagnosis with regards to etiology (or cause of their muscle disorder), genetics, and inheritance of their muscle disorder.