Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare disease that causes muscles
to grow weaker, beginning with the leg muscles. The disease is passed from a
mother, who carries the gene but does not have the disease, to her son
(X-linked).
Most boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy need a wheelchair by age
12 and die before age 20 of a lung infection or heart problems.
Last Revised:
April 4, 2012
Author:
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics