Cardiac and Pulmonary Complications in Duchenne's Progressive Muscular Dystrophy

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Abstract
Clinical and pathologic study of cardiac involvement in 7 fatal cases of Duchenne'' progressive muscular dystrophy, and the clinical signs of cardiac involvement in 139 cases and analysis of ecgs taken on the majority of these patients are reported. Pneumonia was the commonest cause of death. Myocardial fibrosis was found in every autopsied case. Tall R waves in right precordial leads was the earliest ecg abnormality. Cases of long duration showed evidence of incomplete right bundle-branch block and later signs of diffuse myocardial damage manifested by S-T and T abnormalities and deep Q waves. Congestive heart failure was rare. Treatment of complicating pneumonia is described.