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The pattern of urinary catecholamines and their metabolites in Duchenne myopathy, in relation to disease evolution

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Summary

In this report we have tried to determine whether or not catecholamines are involved in the progressive muscular dystrophy. Catecholamines and their metabolites were studied in urines of children with Duchenne disease or other forms of myopathy (limb-girdle and facio-scapulo humeral myopathies). Catecholamine deaminated metabolites were normal in either form of myopathy; in contrast, Duchenne patients, contrarily to other children, eliminated excessive amounts of most amines (catecholamines and methoxylated amines) in relation to age and degree of disease evolution.

Our results indicate that catecholamines are not the primary factors involved in the pathogenesis of Duchenne myopathy, but are rather secondary to some disease effects. It is suggested that the high excretion of catecholamines and their methoxylated amine metabolites observed in severely affected Duchenne boys might be related to thermoregulatory processes or/and to alterations in some enzymatic systems.

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  1. L. Peyrin

    Present address: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine Grange-Blanche, Lyon

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Physiologie, Faculté de Médecine Grange-Blanche, Lyon

    Y. Dalmaz & J. F. Cier

  2. Service de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Ste-Eugénie, St-Genis Laval

    J. C. Mamelle & R. Gilly

  3. Institut de Pathologie Moléculaire, Paris, France

    D. Tuil

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Dalmaz, Y., Peyrin, L., Mamelle, J.C. et al. The pattern of urinary catecholamines and their metabolites in Duchenne myopathy, in relation to disease evolution. J. Neural Transmission 46, 17–34 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243426

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