Heart and blood vessel effects of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy
Cardiovascular Consequences of Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophinopathies
This project looks at how Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy change blood vessel function and the pressures on the heart in children and young people to find early signs of worsening heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145120 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join this project, you'll have tests that measure how your peripheral blood vessels work and how pressure waves travel to your heart. The team will also take standard heart measurements, like echocardiograms, to see how vascular changes relate to heart function. Researchers will compare these measures across people with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy to identify patterns that come before heart decline. The goal is to find early signals that could help doctors decide when to start heart treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and young adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy, especially those without advanced heart failure, would be most appropriate to participate.
Not a fit: People who do not have DMD/BMD or those already in advanced, end‑stage heart failure are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect heart problems earlier in people with DMD or BMD and guide earlier treatment to delay heart failure.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have reported vascular and central pressure changes in muscular dystrophy, but using these measures to predict cardiac decline in a larger, systematic way is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- University of Delaware — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Witman, Melissa A.h. — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Witman, Melissa A.h.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.