Thenar and hypothenar muscle hypertrophy in Becker muscular dystrophy.

摘要

A 35-year-old man with genetically and immunohistochemi-cally proven Becker muscular dystrophy was seen for the first time in our centre on a neurological consultation. Clinical examination showed bilateral proximal upper and lower limb weakness, discrete ankle joint contractures, bilateral hypertrophy of the calf, forearm, thenar and hypothenar muscles (Fig. 1), in absence of macroglossy. Creatine kinase level was 1504 U/l. Upper-limb MRI confirmed hypertrophy of thenar, hypothenar (Fig. IB) and forearm muscles. Absence of MRI signal abnormalities in the involved muscles was in favour of true muscle hypertrophy, as opposed to pseu-dohypertrophy due to fat and connective tissue accumulation.