Abstract
Echocardiographic examination was performed on 20 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The following results were obtained.
(1) The value of left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd) was slightly larger in DMD patients, but no correlation was observed between LVDd and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or age.
(2) The thickness of left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW) and ventricular septum (VS) were within normal range. And there was no tendency that the wall thickness became thinner with decreasing LVEF.
(3) Inverse correlation was observed between age and LVEF; LVEF decreased with age.
(4) The maximal amplitude of wall excursion and percent systolic thickening of LVPW and VS decreased in proportion with decrease in LVEF. Furthermore, LVEF was more closely related to the changes of LVPW than those of VS.
