Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetically determined X-linked disease and the most common, progressive pediatric muscle disorder. For decades, research has been conducted to find an effective therapy. This review presents current therapeutic methods for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, based on scientific articles in English published mainly in the period 2000 to 2014. We used the PubMed database to identify and review the most important studies. An analysis of contemporary studies of stem cell therapy and the use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in muscular dystrophy was performed.
Sufficient vitamin D levels are required for normal skeletal development and mineralization. This is particularly important in children with meningomyelocele who are at an increased risk of osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and the biochemical markers of bone metabolism (parathormone, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, and electrolytes) in children with meningomyelocele. The patient group comprised 33 children with meningomyelocele. The mean 25(OH)D was 11.51 ± 7.87 ng/mL. A total of 97% of the subjects had a 25(OH)D level in the insufficient range (< 30 ng/mL) and 48.5% had a 25(OH)D level less than 10 ng/mL. Almost all patients had serum osteocalcin and phosphorus concentrations above the normal limits. The level of 25(OH)D negatively correlated with age and body weight. There were no correlations between the biochemical markers of bone metabolism and the ambulatory status. A significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D and osteoporosis was found.
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