Table 1.
Basic characteristic of the study groups
| DMD n = 51 | Controls n = 18 | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 14.7 ± 6.1 | 17.5 ± 2.9 | 0.064 |
| Weight (kg) | 49.1 ± 20.4 | 68.1 ± 10.5 | 4.10–4 |
| Height (cm) | 149 ± 19 | 177 ± 18 | 4.10–8 |
| Dyspnoea (n (%)) | 7 (13.7%) | 0 (0%) | 0.18 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 21.3 ± 5.6 | 21.8 ± 2.2 | 0.73 |
| Hypertension (n (%)) | 3 (5.9%) | 0 (0%) | 0.56 |
| Diabetes (n (%)) | 0 (0%) | 1 (5.6%) | 0.26 |
| Corticosteroids (n (%)) | 22 (44.0%) | 0 (0%) | 3.10–4 |
| ACE-inhibitors (n (%)) | 18 (36.0%) | 0 (0%) | 2.10–3 |
| ARBs (n (%)) | 2 (4.0%) | 0 (0%) | 1.00 |
| β-blockers (n (%)) | 8 (16.0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.10 |
| Diuretics (n (%)) | 3 (6.0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.56 |
Continuous variables are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation, binary variables as count (percentage). The p values refer to the t-test in the case of continuous variables or to Fisher exact test in binary variables. P-values < 0.05 are marked in bold.
DMD, Duchenne muscular dystrophy; BMI, body mass index; ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; ARB, angiotensin receptor blockers