Introduction: With better medical care, patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) now live longer but face more complex medical and social needs. This study described the perceptions of DMD patients and their families of disease-specific palliative care services in Singapore. Materials and Methods: A multicentre, crosssectional study involving DMD patients and their families was carried out. Structured questionnaires were administered to them to collect data on their understanding of palliative care, health services accessed and desired by them and quality of life. Results: A total of 30 pairs of DMD patients and their caregivers responded. Mostpatients were >13 years old (70%) and non-ambulant (86%). Most of them and their families (70%) were also not aware of palliative care and support services that were available to them in Singapore. Additionally, they perceived greater financial assistance and better transport services as resources that could better meet their care needs. The presence of scoliosis and need for ventilatory support were associated with lower quality of life in patients. Conclusion: There is a need to improve awareness and provision of palliative care services for DMD patients in Singapore where discussion of end-of-life care is often considered taboo. Prevention and correction of scoliosis and provision of appropriate ventilatory support may improve quality of life in DMD patients. Key words: Advance care planning, Palliative support services, Quality of life.
Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency is an autosomal recessive neurotransmitter defect that results in a combined central deficiency of monoamines, namely catecholamines and serotonin. To date, less than 100 patients have been described with AADC deficiency, most with a severe neurological phenotype. This review article illustrates the pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic strategies for patients with AADC deficiency. Two patients in our institution have extremely mild phenotypes and their robust response to treatment illustrates the variable severity of this condition and the need for early diagnosis of this potentially treatable disease.
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