Researcher: Martijn Beenakker, MD, PhD

Other supervisors: Han van der Hoeven, MD, PhD

Thesis defense: 2005

The aims of the study described in this thesis were 1: to establish reference values for muscle force, functional ability, calf circumference and echogenicity of muscle tissue, 2: to assess disease severity in ambulant DMD patients by using these reference values and 3: to determine the effects of prednisone therapy on muscle function and muscle force in DMD patients.

References

• Beenakker EA, Fock JM, Van Tol MJ, Maurits NM, Koopman HM, Brouwer OF, Van der Hoeven JH. Intermittent prednisone therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Neurol. 2005 Jan;62(1):128-32. PMID: 15642859.
• Beenakker EA, Maurits NM, Fock JM, Brouwer OF, van der Hoeven JH. Functional ability and muscle force in healthy children and ambulant Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2005;9(6):387-93. PMID: 16102988.
• Maurits NM, Beenakker EA, van Schaik DE, Fock JM, van der Hoeven JH. Muscle ultrasound in children: normal values and application to neuromuscular disorders. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2004 Aug;30(8):1017-27. PMID: 15474744.
• Beenakker EA, de Vries J, Fock JM, van Tol M, Brouwer OF, Maurits NM, van der Hoeven JH. Quantitative assessment of calf circumference in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Neuromuscul Disord. 2002 Oct;12(7-8):639-42. PMID: 12207931.
• Beenakker EA, van der Hoeven JH, Fock JM, Maurits NM. Reference values of maximum isometric muscle force obtained in 270 children aged 4-16 years by hand-held dynamometry. Neuromuscul Disord. 2001 Jul;11(5):441-6. PMID: 11404114.