Key standards of care for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
| Organ system | Intervention |
|---|---|
| Muscular | Regular specialist health assessments, physiotherapy, glucocorticoids, orthoses, wheelchair, hoist, electric bed, prevention of malignant hyperthermia |
| Respiratory | Immunisations, treatment of respiratory tract infections, lung function monitoring, pulse oximetry study, cough assistance device, non-invasive ventilation, tracheostomy |
| Cardiovascular | Cardiovascular assessments with ECHO, ECG, blood pressure measurements, treatment of cardiomyopathy with ACE inhibitors and β-blockers |
| Gastrointestinal | Monitoring diet, teeth, swallowing, bowel function and weight gain, acid reducers, videofluoroscopy, gastrostomy |
| Skeletal | Bone density tests (DXA), calcium, vitamin D, bisphosphonates, surgery for scoliosis and joint contractures |
| Renal/urogenital | Prevention and treatment of dehydration, myoglobinuria and enuresis, urinalyses |
| Nervous | Speech and language assessment, pain and sleep control, learning and psychosocial support, cataract screening |
DXA, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; ECHO, echocardiography.