Duchenne muscular dystrophy quantification: a multivariate analysis of surface EMG

The paper describes a method of quantifying Duchenne muscular dystrophy which is examiner independent and uses surface electromyographic signals (EMG). A standardised protocol is proposed. Spectral parameters are first computed from digitised EMG, then a polynomial model is deduced from the evolution of each parameter. A discriminant analysis between healthy and DMD subjects leads to the determination of a discriminant plane and a level of sickness index.