Abstract
Objectives/Goals: Objectives/Goals (300 characters): Sarcopenia is a progressive skeletal muscle disorder associated with adverse outcomes. There is a gab of having objective measures upon performing interventions in patients with muscular dystrophies. The object of the present study is to describe the severity of sarcopenia in DMD patients in Puerto Rico. Methods/Study Population: Methods/Study Population (700 characters): Forty to 30 patients with DMD who are followed in MDA Care Center in the “Instituto De Rehabilitacion del Caribe.” Diagnosis will be confirmed with genetic testing and/or muscle biopsy. Lean muscle mass will be measured with a Whole Body Dexa (WBD) in a Nuclear Medicine Lab. Hand grip, elbow flexor, and knee extensor muscles strength will be measures with an isometric dynamometer. Patients’ functionality will done using the North Star Ambulatory Assessment scale and Brook and Vignos scales, which have been validated for patients with DMD and neuromuscular disease respectively. Correlations will be made with lean body mass (independent variable) and muscle strength and functionality (dependent variable). Results/Anticipated Results: Results/Anticipated Results (700 characters): We expect to find severe sarcopenia in patients with DMD in PR and that it will be more severe with older age. There will be a direct correlation between lean muscle mass and muscle strength, and functionality in DMD patients. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Discussion/Significance of Impact (300 characters): The findings of our study can help us to explore the possibility that Whole Body DEXA can serve as a potential biomarker for future studies since there is a need to develop noninvasive biomarkers that correlate with disease progression and interventions in DMD patients.