Introduction: Clinical trials targeting younger cohorts of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are necessary as earlier intervention may maximize treatment effect. Boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy often have gross motor delays very early in life, and although they gain skills, they are on a lower trajectory than typical peers. Quantifying the natural rate of motor maturation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy from an early age permits identification of deviations from the expected trajectory related to treatment effects.
Methods: The purpose of our study was to define the natural history in boys aged from ≥3 to <8 years using the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA), 100-meter timed test (100m), 10-meter walk/run (10m), time to rise (Rise), and 4-stair climb (4SC). Assessments were completed as standard of care during regularly scheduled clinic visits.
Results: One hundred sixty-two boys with DMD aged 3.1 to 7.9 years on glucocorticoids were evaluated using one or more of the following tests as appropriate for age: NSAA (N = 158; 3.1-7.9 years), 100m (N = 131; 3.4-7.9 years), 10m (N = 162; 3.1-7.9 years), Rise (N = 160; 3.1-7.9 years), and 4SC (N = 153; 3.1-7.9 years). Longitudinal data are presented by age in a subcohort (N = 64).
Conclusions: Our study documents the baseline function of boys with DMD who are being treated with corticosteroids. These data will be useful to compare ongoing and future therapeutic intervention(s) for DMD.
Keywords: 100m; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; NSAA; Natural history; Outcome measures; Timed functional tests.
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