What is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)?
- It is the most common and fatal type of muscular dystrophy marked by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness due to alterations of a protein called “dystrophin” that helps keep muscle cells intact.
- Patients (usually children) have reduced bone densityand an increased risk of developing fractures.
- India has over 5 lakh patients in the country suffering from DMD and the condition is predominantly seen in boys, but in rare cases, it can also affect girls.
- It can begin as early as age 2 or 3, first affecting the proximal muscles (those close to the core of the body) and later affecting the distal limb muscles (those close to the extremities).
- Symptoms: Enlargement of calves, a waddling gait, and lumbar lordosis (an inward curve of the spine)
- The current therapeutic options available to treat DMD are minimal and highly expensive treatment and are mostly imported from abroad.
