Quantitative electromyography in ambulatory boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
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Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Measurements of Motor Function and Other Clinical Outcome Parameters in Ambulant Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Published on: January 12, 2019
Sumit Verma1,2,3, Jenny Lin1,2,3, Curtis Travers1
1Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30307, USA.
Introduction:
This study's objective was to evaluate quantitative electromyography (QEMG) using multiple-motor-unit (multi-MUP) analysis in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Methods:
Ambulatory DMD boys, aged 5-15 years, were evaluated with QEMG at 6-month intervals over 14 months. EMG was performed in the right biceps brachii (BB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Normative QEMG data were obtained from age-matched healthy boys. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed.
Results:
Eighteen DMD subjects were enrolled, with a median age of 7 (interquartile range 7-10) years. Six-month evaluations were performed on 14 subjects. QEMG showed significantly abnormal mean MUP duration in BB and TA muscles, with no significant change over 6 months.
Conclusions:
QEMG is a sensitive electrophysiological marker of myopathy in DMD. Preliminary data do not reflect a significant change in MUP parameters over a 6-month interval; long-term follow-up QEMG studies are needed to understand its role as a biomarker for disease progression. Muscle Nerve 56: 1361-1364, 2017.
