LIMB GIRDLE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY DIAGNOSIS.
LGMD is a muscle wasting condition and prior to a
diagnosis most people experience general weakness of the shoulder and pelvic
girdles. LGMD is progressive and to have a diagnosis you will have to under
certain tests.
The doctor will want to know your medical and family
history first and examine you. The reason why your family history is needed is
to distinguish the pattern of inheritance and to establish whether you are
autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive.
The doctor will then proceed to conduct a physical
exam and a neurological evaluation to show muscle strength assessment; this
test will show where weakness there is weakness.
The tests may include the following:
v Blood
tests: This test can show raised creatine kinase (ck) levels which may be a
problem in the muscles.CK isa muscle enzyme, which is released into the
bloodstream at high levels when there is muscle fibre damage. Some people also
show elevated CK serum levels. These enzymes are referred to as liver enzymes
people with muscular dystrophy are sometimes diagnosed with liver disease
because of this elevated levels.
v Electromyography
(EMG): This test measures the response of muscle to stimulation of its nerve
supply and the electrical activity in the muscle. EMG helps to identify the
type of muscle involved hence it can give an LGMD diagnosis.
v Muscle
biopsy: This test is very important because by studying a muscle biopsy we can
clearly know what type of LGMD someone might have. This is mainly so because
this test can show directly the proteins absent or reduced in different types
of LGMD. It should also be noted that the muscle biopsy alone can sometimes not
distinguish between the exact types of LGMD. In these instances genetic testing
should be done.
