Macroemg in manifesting carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The aim of present study was to analyse possible myopathic changes in the muscles of manifesting carriers of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) using concentric needle emg and macroemg methods. Our material consisted of 10 manifesting carriers aged 9-52 (mean 30 years) and 20 healthy age-matched females. Concentric needle emg (CNEMG) and macroemg was performed in biceps brachii (BB) muscle in both groups: carriers and controls. Myopathic changes were observed in BB muscle in 5 of 10 manifesting carriers using CNEMG and in all cases (10 carriers) using macroemg method. Macro electrode, which reflects total motor unit activity, i.e., the total number and size of component muscle fibres, supplies information about early myogenic lesion of the muscle. Therefore the macroemg seems to be a sensitive and useful electrophysiological diagnostic method in carriers of DMD.