What is a significant predictor of loss of ambulation ability in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy?

The significant predictor of loss of ambulation ability in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the 50% reduction in leg strength. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. As the disease progresses, muscle strength diminishes, significantly affecting mobility and ambulation.

When there is a 50% reduction in leg strength, it indicates a critical loss of the functional capacity necessary for walking and movement. Children with DMD typically lose the ability to walk around the age of 9 to 12 years, and this progression can be closely linked to the extent of muscle strength loss. Therefore, the measurement of strength provides clear insight into the child’s overall functional abilities and helps predict when they may lose the ability to walk.

Other factors mentioned, such as endurance and respiratory function improvement, do not directly correlate with the timing of loss of ambulation in the same way that significant loss of leg strength does. Age at diagnosis can provide context for the progression of the disease but does not necessarily serve as a direct predictor of when ambulation will be lost. The emphasis on muscle strength is central to understanding the decline in mobility associated with DMD.