(DM) is a
Chronic , slowly progressing, highly variable inherited multisystemic
Disease that can manifest at any age from birth to old age. It is characterized by wasting of the muscles (muscular dystrophy), posterior subcapsular iridescent
Cataracts (opacity of the lens of the eyes), heart conduction defects,
Endocrine changes and
Myotonia (difficulty relaxing a muscle). Most notably, the highly variable age of onset decreases with successive generations. Thus the disease shows at an earlier age in successive generations, a phenomenon termed
Anticipation . There are three classifications of DM, each having different associated symptoms.
Myotonic dystrophy is the most common form of adult onset form that can severely affect babies and a childhood onset form. Further forms of myotonic dystrophy (DM3, DM4, DMX) are currently suspected by researchers to exist.
While both diseases are considered slow
Degenerative conditions, DM2 is considered to be generally milder than DM1. The severe
Congenital form that affects babies in DM1 has not been found in DM2 and the early onset of symptoms is rarely noted to appear in younger patients in the medical literature. The repeat expansion for DM2 is considerably larger than for DM1, ranging from 75 to over 11,000. Unlike DM1, the size of the repeated DNA expansion does not appear to make a difference in the age of onset or disease severity in DM2. Anticipation is a common feature of DM1. It appears to be less significant in type 2 and most current reviews only report mild anticipation as a feature of DM2.
Presentation of symptoms varies considerably by form (DM1/DM2), severity and even unusual DM2 phenotypes. DM1 patients often present with ), weakness of the neck muscles, hands and lower legs. In DM2, the weakness is more evident in proximal muscles, those closer to the trunk of the body: neck, shoulders, hip flexors and upper legs.
Noted DM1 symptoms which are considered less severe or common for DM2 are problems with smooth muscle (including G.I. symptoms), hypersomnia (daytime sleepiness), muscle wasting,
Dysphagia and
Respiratory insufficiency. DM1 patients may experience a more diverse range of cognitive problems than DM2. Depending on what form they have and the degree of severity, DM1 cognitive problems may range from developmental delays, learning problems,
Language ,
Speech ,
Behaviour ,
Apathy or
Hypersomnia . Cognitive manifestations for DM2 include problems with executive function (i.e. organization, concentration, word-finding etc) and hypersomnia. Conduction abnormalities are more common in DM1 than DM2, but all patients are advised to have an annual
ECG .
Insulin resistance is a significant risk factor in both forms of the disease for
Diabetes ,
Cholesterol ,
Heart ,
Stroke ,
Lipids ,
Fatty Liver , etc.
Testing for insulin resistance must be at least 3 hours and include serial monitoring of the lipid profile and intermittent assessment of oral ,
Walkers ,
Wheelchairs ,
Scooters ) than in DM1, though they experience increasing difficulties climbing stairs as the
Disease progresses, and falling or stumbling may sometimes be reported.
DM is a
Genetic condition which is inherited in an
Autosomal Dominant pattern, meaning that inheriting a mutant gene from one parent will result in the condition. There is a 50% chance of inheriting DM from an affected parent. In DM1, the affected gene is called DMPK (myotonic dystrophy protein kinase) which codes for a myosin kinase expressed in skeletal muscle. The gene is located on the long arm of
Chromosome 19 . DM2 is similarly caused by a defect of the ZNF9 gene on
Chromosome 3 q21.
DM is one of several known
Trinucleotide Repeat Disorders . Certain areas of
DNA have repeated sequences of two or three
Nucleotides . In DM1, there is a triplet repeat of
Cytosine -
Thymine -
Guanine (CTG) in the DMPK gene. The number of repeats varies greatly from person to person, but the average number in a healthy person is between 5 and 37. Sometimes when repetitive sequences of DNA are replicated during
Cell Division the cellular machinery slips and an extra copy of the triplet repeat is added to the sequence. Once there are more than 37 triplet repeats in the DMPK gene the sequence becomes unstable and slippage becomes a lot more likely to happen. People affected with DM1 have over 50 and can have as many as 2000 repeats.
The result of this is that the repeat size of an individual with DM1 will become larger the older they are. This explains the
Phenomenon of
Anticipation , as each child of an affected adult will have a larger expansion than their parent due to slippage during
Gametogenesis . Individuals with larger expansions have an earlier onset of the disorder and a more severe
Phenotype . The repeat expansion for DM2 is much larger than for DM1, ranging from 75 to over 11000 repeats. Unlike DM1, the size of the repeated DNA expansion does not appear to make a difference in the age of onset or disease severity in DM2. Anticipation appears to be less significant in DM2 and most current reviews only report mild anticipation as a feature of DM2.
The diagnosis of DM1 and DM2 are most likely to occur by doctors with specialized training in both
Neurology and adult
Neuromuscular disorders. Without appropriately trained and experienced medical resources, it is common for patients to be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
Family doctors are generalists who are more likely to follow advances in conditions they commonly see in their practice. They may not always recognize symptoms that appear unrelated which could alert them to the presence of a complex underlying multisystemic disorder such as DM1 or DM2 and fail to refer patients to a specialist familiar with these disorders. Depending on the presentation of symptoms, patients may be referred to a number of medical specialists including
Cardiologist s,
Ophthalmologist s,
Endocrinologist s,
Rheumatologist s.
Neuromuscular disorders can cover more than 40 different diseases and additional forms of these bring the number of distinct disorders closer to 100. Many diseases have seen dramatic advances in the research literature like DM1 and DM2 and it is not humanly possible for all doctors to closely follow all research. In general, the diagnostic criteria for DM2 is less known because the research in the area is relatively new and takes a long time to filter down effectively to all clinicians.
Some neuromuscular specialists focus primarily on many of the childhood onset neuromuscular diseases, while others may have research and clinical interests focused on specific diseases such as
ALS and may be unaware of the potential relationship of specific symptoms to DM. It is common that the clinical presentation for both DM1 and DM2 patients does not conform to the perceptions of these diseases held by many neurologists. Clinicians who are less familiar with the myotonic dystrophies in their day to day practice may expect patients with both forms to present with the more severe classic symptoms of DM1. As a result, patients may remain undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed.
In addition, the clinical presentation for patients can vary considerably depending on the degree of severity or the presence of unusual
Phenotype s. This can legitimately make diagnosis more difficult for these patients.
Since there is presently no cure for DM and management is currently symptom based, many clinicians also do not recognize the importance of a precise diagnosis. They are unaware of significant health risks, including potentially fatal ones which even mildly affected DM1 & DM2 patients should be routinely monitored for (i.e. cardiac conduction issues, insulin resistance, cataracts). An accurate diagnosis is important to assist with appropriate medical monitoring and medical management of symptoms. In addition, genetic counseling should be made available to all patients because of the high risk of transmission. Potentially serious
Anesthetic risks are important to note, so the presence of this disorder should be brought to the attention of all medical providers.
There is currently no cure for or treatment specific to myotonic dystrophy. Heart problems, cataracts, and other abnormalities associated with the condition can be treated but not cured. However there are medical interventions and medications that may relieve some of the symptoms such as
Myotonia , pain and excessive sleepiness. Some treatments have been subject to systematic review for safety and efficacy through the
Cochrane Reviews for symptoms such as hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness), myotonia, strength training and aerobic exercise training and foot drop.
Recent research has provided more information on the underlying molecular pathomechanisms involved in myotonic dystrophy and has fueled interest and research into new approaches for more specific and effective treatment. Research in areas such as high throughput screening and antisense therapy hold hope for more effective targeted treatments for the future.
Progress in this area is being fueled by the sharing of research by scientists and clinicians at biannual meetings by the International Myotonic Dystrophy Consortium (IDMC). The 6th meeting (IDMC-6) took place in Milan Italy in September 2007.
Screening for the DMPK gene for DM1 is targeted at
Chromosome 19 while the ZNF9 gene for DM2 is found on
Chromosome 3 . Genetic tests are available for both confirmed forms. Molecular testing is considered the gold standard of diagnosis. Further forms of myotonic dystrophy (DM3, DM4, DMX) are suspected by researchers with possible defects on
Chromosome 16 and
Chromosome 21 .
- 1
- 2
- 3 This book has chapters on multiple disorders including both Steinhart’s (DM1) and PROMM (DM2). The revised 2006 edition is the first print resource to have a full chapter on DM2: Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2: Clinical and Genetic Aspects by Krahe, Bachinski, and Udd This book is intended to be a reference for medical professionals such as neurologists, neuroscientists, biochemists, geneticists, molecular biologists & human geneticists.
The research on DM1/DM2/DM3 has rapidly evolved over the last decade. Always note dates of research or the update period for websites to provide context for how current and accurate the information may be. Although the newest research is rarely available without journal subscription, there are many free online reports and reviews which discuss the clinical spectrum of symptoms, therapies, etc for both DM1 and DM2. These papers are a collaborative effort by those on the front lines to document the current state of research and should be used as a resource by doctors for guidance on diagnosis and management.
NOTE: The research on DM1/DM2/DM3 has rapidly evolved over the last decade. Always note update period for websites to provide context for how current and accurate the information may be. The better websites tend to have updated information on both DM1 and DM2, and provide some differentiation between them.
;Web-based discussion group for patients diagnosed with DM
;Regional Support Groups
