In patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), higher body fat levels and systolic blood pressure are associated with adverse changes in heart muscle that are tied to heart disease, according to a recently published abstract from the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Sessions and the American Heart Association’s 2025 Resuscitation Science Symposium.
DMD is characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, including changes to the heart muscle. While DMD primarily involves muscle deterioration due to the absence of dystrophin, cardiovascular (CV) factors also contribute to the disease’s progression.
The authors aimed to highlight the importance of addressing these modifiable factors to mitigate heart problems in people with DMD.
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The study used data from more than 70 boys and men with DMD, examining factors such as body composition and systolic blood pressure (SBP) through DEXA scans and cardiac MRIs.
The results revealed that higher lean mass index (LMI), elevated SBP, and older age were associated with increased left ventricular mass (LVMI), explaining more than 40% of its variance. LVMI refers to the mass or size of the heart adjusted for body type. A significant increase could suggest hypertrophy or greater heart thickness, a common finding in heart disease.
Additionally, age and a higher fat mass index (FMI), or the amount of body fat adjusted to body surface area, were associated with greater epicardial fat tissue (EAT) thickness, accounting for nearly 30% of the variance. EAT refers to the fat tissue between heart muscle and the outer sack (pericardium) surrounding the heart. Previous studies show that a higher FMI correlates with higher systemic inflammation, which can contribute to heart disease.
“Hemoglobin A1c, LDL, and log(TG:HDL) were not significant predictors and thus were excluded from the final models,” the authors stated.
Factors such as hemoglobin and blood fats, measured through proteins like LDL and the TG: HDL ratio, were excluded due to their lack of significance, but they may still be relevant in understanding cardiovascular risk in DMD. The study’s sample size was relatively small and predominantly consisted of white males, so a larger, more diverse cohort would help improve generalizability.
“These findings underscore the importance of managing SBP and fat mass in this high-risk group,” the authors wrote. “These results support incorporating CV risk assessment into routine DMD care to identify modifiable targets and help delay cardiac decline.”
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