Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Efficacy of corticosteroid in decreasing scoliosis and extending time to loss of ambulation in a single clinic : an effectiveness trial

Sussman, Michael D ; Sienko, Susan E ; Buckon, Cathleen E ; Hilton, Coleman ; De Mattos, Camila Bedeschi LU orcid and d'Amato, Charles (2020) In Journal of Children's Orthopaedics 14(5). p.421-432
Abstract

PURPOSE: Pharmacologic doses of corticosteroid (CS) have been shown to ameliorate the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) preserving strength, pulmonary function and ambulation as well as reducing the incidence of scoliosis. However, there are serious side effects of CS, which may impact dose tolerance. The purpose of this study was to compare the magnitude of positive CS effects on patients in our clinic to those reported in the literature.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and radiographs of 142 DMD patients who were seen between 1st January 1991 and 31st December 2017.

RESULTS: In total, 101 boys met study inclusion criteria. Of these 32 were steroid naïve, 37 took the recommended dose... (More)

PURPOSE: Pharmacologic doses of corticosteroid (CS) have been shown to ameliorate the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) preserving strength, pulmonary function and ambulation as well as reducing the incidence of scoliosis. However, there are serious side effects of CS, which may impact dose tolerance. The purpose of this study was to compare the magnitude of positive CS effects on patients in our clinic to those reported in the literature.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and radiographs of 142 DMD patients who were seen between 1st January 1991 and 31st December 2017.

RESULTS: In total, 101 boys met study inclusion criteria. Of these 32 were steroid naïve, 37 took the recommended dose (standard of care, SOC) of Prednisone or Deflazacort, and 32 took a lower dose (LD). Following initiation of CS, both treatment groups showed an increase in weight velocity and decrease in linear growth velocity. Although there was a trend to later loss of ambulation (LOA) in the SOC group relative to the naïve group by one year, this was not significant, however, a small subgroup of boys on Deflazacort showed a 3.4 year later LOA than the naïve group. The incidence of scoliosis was reduced from 69% in the naïve, to 41% in the LD and 47% in the SOC group.

CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a reduction in the incidence of scoliosis, it was not as robust as seen elsewhere. Many published studies have inadequate data on scoliosis probably due to the lack of inclusion of orthopaedists in the study group.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Children's Orthopaedics
volume
14
issue
5
pages
421 - 432
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85092449745
  • pmid:33204350
ISSN
1863-2521
DOI
10.1302/1863-2548.14.200156
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Copyright © 2020, The author(s).
id
beb09696-106a-465b-ab87-d288c65ffd4f
date added to LUP
2023-11-16 13:23:09
date last changed
2024-04-14 17:02:44
@article{beb09696-106a-465b-ab87-d288c65ffd4f,
  abstract     = {{<p>PURPOSE: Pharmacologic doses of corticosteroid (CS) have been shown to ameliorate the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) preserving strength, pulmonary function and ambulation as well as reducing the incidence of scoliosis. However, there are serious side effects of CS, which may impact dose tolerance. The purpose of this study was to compare the magnitude of positive CS effects on patients in our clinic to those reported in the literature.</p><p>METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and radiographs of 142 DMD patients who were seen between 1st January 1991 and 31st December 2017.</p><p>RESULTS: In total, 101 boys met study inclusion criteria. Of these 32 were steroid naïve, 37 took the recommended dose (standard of care, SOC) of Prednisone or Deflazacort, and 32 took a lower dose (LD). Following initiation of CS, both treatment groups showed an increase in weight velocity and decrease in linear growth velocity. Although there was a trend to later loss of ambulation (LOA) in the SOC group relative to the naïve group by one year, this was not significant, however, a small subgroup of boys on Deflazacort showed a 3.4 year later LOA than the naïve group. The incidence of scoliosis was reduced from 69% in the naïve, to 41% in the LD and 47% in the SOC group.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a reduction in the incidence of scoliosis, it was not as robust as seen elsewhere. Many published studies have inadequate data on scoliosis probably due to the lack of inclusion of orthopaedists in the study group.</p><p>LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sussman, Michael D and Sienko, Susan E and Buckon, Cathleen E and Hilton, Coleman and De Mattos, Camila Bedeschi and d'Amato, Charles}},
  issn         = {{1863-2521}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{421--432}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Children's Orthopaedics}},
  title        = {{Efficacy of corticosteroid in decreasing scoliosis and extending time to loss of ambulation in a single clinic : an effectiveness trial}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1302/1863-2548.14.200156}},
  doi          = {{10.1302/1863-2548.14.200156}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}