Electrical impedance myography in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and healthy controls: A multicenter study of reliability and validity

Muscle Nerve. 2015 Oct;52(4):592-7. doi: 10.1002/mus.24611. Epub 2015 Jul 24.

Abstract

Introduction: Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a non-invasive, painless, objective technique to quantify muscle pathology.

Methods: We measured EIM in 8 arm and leg muscles in 61 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and 31 healthy boys, ages 3-12 years, at 5 centers. We determined the reliability of EIM and compared results in boys with DMD to controls and to 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA), timed functional tests (TFTs), and strength (hand-held dynamometry).

Results: EIM was well tolerated and had good inter- and intrarater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.81-0.96). The averaged EIM phase value from all muscles was higher (P < 0.001) in controls (10.45 ± 2.29) than boys with DMD (7.31 ± 2.23), and correlated (P ≤ 0.001) with 6MWD (r = 0.55), NSAA (r = 0.66), TFTs (r = -0.56), and strength (r = 0.44).

Conclusion: EIM is a reliable and valid measure of disease severity in DMD. Longitudinal studies comparing EIM with other assessments over time in DMD are warranted.

Keywords: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; biomarker; children; electrical impedance myography; myopathy.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Electric Impedance*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle Strength / physiology*
  • Muscle Strength Dynamometer
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology*
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / pathology*
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / physiopathology*
  • Myography
  • ROC Curve
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Severity of Illness Index