Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystropies

The Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophies (LGMDs) are a large and varied group of progressive myopathies grouped together on the basis of common features: they all primarily and predominantly affect large muscles around the top of the arms and legs. Facial muscles are usually unaffected. However, some LGMDs are severe, some are benign and others exhibit a large spectrum of severity and so the symptoms can appear anytime from childhood to adulthood.

LGMDs are divided into two groups.

Autosomal dominant - just one copy of the faulty gene causes the disease. This either is inherited from a parent (who would also have the disease) or occurs because of a spontaneous mutation (neither parent has the disease).

Autosomal recessive - two copies of the faulty gene are inherited (one from each parent). In this case both parents are carriers but neither necessarily has the disease.

Further information can be found at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign website.