This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Objective: In this study, involvement of paraspinal muscles in 50 patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) was evaluated using MRI.
Methods: The Dixon MRI technique was used in this observational study to quantify muscle fat content of paraspinal and leg muscles. Muscle strength in the neck, back, and legs was assessed with a handheld dynamometer. All subjects completed the Low Back Pain Rating Scale questionnaire. MRI findings were compared with 31 age-matched controls and correlated to muscle strength, back pain, and MRI findings in lower extremities.
Results: The fat fraction in muscles was significantly higher in patients with FSHD than in controls: paraspinal fat fraction was 38% in patients vs 20% in controls, thigh fat fraction was 36% vs 11%, and calf fat fraction was 37% vs 11%. Increased paraspinal fat fraction correlated with D4Z4 repeat size, FSHD severity score, fat fraction of the thigh, and muscle strength in the back. The prevalence of back pain was 3 times higher in patients with FSHD vs controls, but back pain did not correlate with the paraspinal fat fraction.
Conclusions: This study shows a prominent involvement of paraspinal muscles in patients with FSHD, which should be considered in the management of this condition.
GLOSSARY
- DMD=
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy;
- FSHD=
- facioscapulohumeral dystrophy;
- LBPRS=
- Low Back Pain Rating Scale;
- TE=
- echo time
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Supplemental data at Neurology.org
- Received March 24, 2014.
- Accepted in final form June 30, 2014.
- © 2014 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Topics Discussed
Alert Me
Recommended articles
Lower extremity muscle pathology in myotonic dystrophy type 1 assessed by quantitative MRI
Evaluation of inflammatory lesions over 2 years in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Quantitative MRI reveals decelerated fatty infiltration in muscles of active FSHD patients
MRI vastus lateralis fat fraction predicts loss of ambulation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy