The spectrum of myopathies in the city of São Paulo.

A fifteen-year study was made in the neurologic clinic of the school of medicine, of the City of Sao Paulo; 466 patients were examined clinically and with EMG determination of enzymes, biopsies and genetic counsel. The diagnosis varied much and some important findings at heart level, with overload, were discovered in some cases. In the cases in which the diagnosis was not confirmed; CPK was determined, which was increased in all cases, but was not so with GOT, GPT and LDH. A family pattern was found in the Duchenne Becker distrophy, limb-girdle syndrome, fascioscapulohumeral and oculopharyngeal. The biopsy exposed 15 of the 18 polymyositis cases. Genetic counsel was given to heterozygotes with PMD genes of great risk of presentation. An acute stage, detected by CPK dosage, was foreseen for adolescent heterozygotes.

The spectrum of myopathies in the city of São Paulo.

A review of all myopathic patients treated at the Neurologic Clinic of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo during the past 15 years is reported. A total of 466 cases were examined and distributed as follows: 56% of progressive muscular dystrophy; 31% of myasthenia gravis; 6% of polymyositis; 4% of myotonic dystrophy; and the remainder of several different diseases (central core disease, Kearn-syndrome, myotonia congenita, adynamia episodica hereditaria, diabetic myopathy and Eaton-Lambert syndrome). Enzymatic dosages, electromyography, muscle biopsy, electrocardiography and genetic counselling are also reported.