Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is one of the more common, severe muscle-wasting conditions. It causes muscles to weaken and waste over time, leading to increasing disability.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by genetic mutations on the ‘X’ chromosome. These mutations prevent the body from producing a vital muscle protein, dystrophin, which is needed to build and repair muscle.
Most people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are diagnosed by the age of five and use a wheelchair by the time they are 12. Many face severe health problems by their late teens as the muscles of their heart and lungs weaken.
Although the condition is severely disabling, many people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy lead full and active lives.
Few people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy currently live to see their 30th birthday although with medical advances, life-expectancy is improving. The right specialist healthcare and equipment can also make a significant difference to both quality and length of life.
About 2,400 people in the UK have Duchenne muscular dystrophy, most of them male.
