Understanding Control and Mechanisms of Shoulder Instability in FSHD
Shoulder PainNeuromuscular Diseases3 moreThe aim of this study is to identify factors for shoulder instability in people with Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD). FSHD is a non-life limiting condition with symptoms presenting in the second decade of life (Evangelista et al., 2016). Between 2500 to 3000 people are diagnosed with FSHD in the UK and it is the third most common dystrophy. The overall prevalence is 1: 20,000 and on average 52 people are newly diagnosed with FSHD each year (Emery, 1991; Padberg et al., 1995; UK, 2020) As the disease progresses, patients lose the ability to adequately control muscles around the shoulder girdle, possibly contributing to the development of shoulder instability i.e. partial or complete dislocation of the shoulder joint (Bergsma, Cup, Geurts, & De Groot, 2015; Bergsma, Cup, Janssen, Geurts, & de Groot, 2017; Mul et al., 2016). Loss of control around the shoulder is also thought to contribute to pain and a reduced capacity to perform tasks above shoulder height. Additionally, the development of fatigue and chronic pain further limit patient's abilities and engagement with rehabilitation. If we better understand the mechanisms associated with instability, we can better target physiotherapy interventions to improve rehabilitation. If we identify specific patterns of activity associated with instability, these could be addressed through personalised and improved exercise prescription and rehabilitation. Additionally, we may identify causes of instability for which physiotherapy or exercise programmes may not be appropriate, therefore ensuring patients are referred to the correct service in a timely manner, improving patient outcomes and allocating resources more appropriately.
Digital Biotyping of FSHD Patients and Controls
Muscular DystrophyFacioscapulohumeralFacioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a devastating progressive muscle dystrophy. There is no treatment. FSHD is generally characterized by asymmetrical weakness and wasting of facial, shoulder girdle and upper arm muscles followed by weakness of muscles of the trunk and lower extremities, but disease severity varies widely between patients. Relatively long periods of stability are interspersed with short periods of potentially steep decline, leading overall to a slow but unpredictable rate of progression. Different genotypes underlying FSHD have been identified, but they result in highly similar phenotypes and at the molecular level converge on undue expression of the transcription factor, DUX4, in skeletal muscle, which is thought to (ultimately) lead to muscle wasting due to inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. There is no approved treatment, although various companies are engaged in FSHD drug discovery and development aimed in particular at reducing DUX4 expression. Multiple treatment options are currently under development in both preclinical and early clinical stages. However, these efforts face significant challenges in the path to regulatory approval. Because of the slow and variable rate of progression of FSHD, evidencing a significant treatment response will be cumbersome using only the existing measurements of muscle function. The successful development of these investigative treatments for FSHD is therefore highly dependent on the availability of validated disease and treatment biomarkers to monitor disease progression and response to treatment, respectively. To date, no such validated biomarkers exist. This study is important for four reasons: 1. Clinical testing of FSHD drug candidates requires the availability of clinical biomarkers that (a) change relatively rapidly over time; (b) allow for identification of fast progressors; and (c) correlate with "gold standard", but slowly changing, clinical severity and/or functional scores. This study is a first step in that direction as it seeks to explore if the investigational digital technologies described below are able to generate single or composite variables that (cross-sectionally) distinguish FSHD patients from controls. If identified, such variables will be tested as putative clinical FSHD biomarkers in a follow-up longitudinal study with FSHD patients. 2. Patient testimonies indicate that living with FSHD means living with pain, fatigue, social isolation, and anxiety about the future. This study provides the first-ever opportunity to gather objective, real-world data about the impact of FSHD on daily life. 3. Regulators have already indicated that Real-World Data (RWD) is a top strategic priority for their drug reviews. This study aims to fill this gap by gathering RWD about the physical and social activities of FSHD patients in comparison with controls. This way we aim to find (composite) scores that correlate with selected severity and functional scores and additionally distinguish FSHD patients from controls. 4. This study offers an opportunity to expand the spectrum of diseases in which RWD may be used as (a basis for) clinical outcome measures. A successful outcome of this study may support testing the MORE platform in other muscular dystrophies as well.
Prospective Study for 24-months of Physical Training Introduced in Lifestyle of Patients With FSHD...
Muscular DystrophyFacioscapulohumeralIt 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.
1 Year MRI Followup in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy
FSHD - Facioscapulohumeral Muscular DystrophyAn 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.
Examination of Operative Approach in pwFSHD (Patient With Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy)...
Facio-Scapulo-Humeral DystrophyFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) is one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy, characterized by pronounced skeletal novelistic 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. Skeletal muscle weakness leads to posture and balance disorders, and postural instability is a common problem in patients with FSHD. Weakness of the trunk and lower limb muscles found in more than half of patients causes problems with postural balance and walking. The calf, iliopsoas, and gluteus maximus muscles together form the main determinants of walking speed in healthy people, where kalf muscles are known to contribute the most. Individuals with FSHD have been reported to have decreased speed, step length, and step frequency compared to healthy controls. Impaired upper body control can compromise the maintenance of dynamic stability. In patient with FSHD the effects of muscle tone, motor coordination, loss of joint range of motion and muscle weakness on posture, balance control and gait are observed more clearly. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of scapular management treatments on balance and gait in FSHD patients. H0: There is no difference in balance and walking parameters of patients with FSHD who have had scapulothoracic arthrodesis surgery and have not undergone surgery. H1: There is a difference in balance and walking parameters of patients with FSHD who have had scapulothoracic arthrodesis surgery and have not undergone surgery.
Effectiveness of Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in pwFSHD (Patient With Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophia)...
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular DystrophyFacioscapulohumeral 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.
Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (CYTOKINE-FSH)
Muscular DystrophiesThe facial-glenohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 (DMFSH1) is characterized by a selective and asymmetrical involvement of the facial muscles, the shoulder girdle and the anterolateral lodge legs. Genetically, the disease is transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner and is caused by a pathogen contraction of repeat units (UR) say D4Z4 localized to the telomeric portion of chromosome 4qA. The loss of UR causes hypomethylation of DNA and chromatin relaxation of the region that lead to inappropriate expression of DUX4 retrogene highly toxic. The inappropriate expression induces a T cell reaction inflammatory response that participate and increase muscle damage. In favor of this hypothesis, several muscle MRI studies have shown that atrophy and fibro-adipose degeneration (hyper signal in T1) were preceded by the appearance of muscle inflammation (hyper signal T2STIR) confirmed on histologically and dysregulation of genes involved in adaptive and innate immunity. scientific hypothesis and potential benefits: the investigateur hypothesize that in patients of DMFSH1, the immune system cells may participate in the pathophysiology of the disease through changes in serum secretion of one or more cytokines and / or a modification of the response of inflammatory cells in some cell damage stimuli. Design: this is a single-center pilot study, interventional. In this study, the investigator will assay the serum cytokines and changes in peripheral blood cells of the expression of cytokines in response to some stimuli in 20 patients with Type 1 DMFSH genetically confirmed at an intermediate stage of clinical disease (kept walking, but at least one muscle of lower limbs reached) and compare with controls from the CYTOKINAGE study. The investigator will also carry patients clinical testing (MMT sum score) and functional (6minute test march MFM) and a MRI not injected whole body (T1 sequences + and T2STIR) to study the relationship between these parameters and secretion cytokines or serum in response to certain stimuli Main objective: to compare serum levels of IL-6 in patients with DMFSH and controls.
Musculoskeletal Nociceptive Pain in Participants With Neuromuscular Disorders
Pompe Disease (Late-onset)Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1)6 moreThe primary aim is to characterize the prevalence, severity and quality of musculoskeletal nociceptive pain in adult patients with neuromuscular disorders (NMD). The secondary objectives are to evaluate whether severity and distribution of muscle pain is associated with muscle function, and to assess whether muscle pain is associated with alterations of muscle elasticity and muscle stiffness. Results of patients with neuromuscular disorders will be compared to age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Approx. 70 patients with neuromuscular disorders and 20 healthy volunteers will be enrolled, including patients with the following neuromuscular disorders: histologically confirmed inclusion body myositis (IBM), genetically confirmed late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), genetically confirmed spinal muscular atrophy type 3 (SMA3), genetically confirmed facio-scapulo-humeral muscle dystrophy (FSHD), genetically confirmed myotonic dystrophy type 1 or type 2 (DM1, DM2). The duration of patient recruitment will be around 12 months.
Rasch-analysis of Clinical Severity in FSHD
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular DystrophyThe purpose of this study is to make a standardized and scalable Rasch-built clinical severity scale to help in finding genetic and environmental modifiers of disease in Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy in Children
Neurological ObservationsFacioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy1 moreThis study will focus on the symptoms, natural history and clinical impact of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) in children. Symptoms of classical FSHD start in adulthood. However, a small subgroup of FSHD patients have an early, childhood onset. This early onset is associated with faster progression and other symptoms like hearing loss and epilepsy. The symptoms, natural history and clinical impact of FSHD in children are largely unknown. The results of this study will be vital for adequate symptomatic management and trial-readiness.