[Correlation between functional disability, age, and serum enzymes in neuromuscular diseases].

We attempt to correlate the patient's disability and serum enzymes (creatinekinase, lactic dehydrogenase, aldolase, glutamic oxalacetic and glutamic piruvic transaminase) in several neuromuscular disorders using the Vignos and Archibald scale (V&A). In 806 cases we studied, serum enzyme levels and the V&A disability using a computer for Pearson's correlation and regressive analysis. A good correlation of the V&A with age suggested a progressive evolution (increased disability) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, fascioscapulohumeral dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, myopathies due to respiratory chain enzyme deficiency and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A negative correlation (decrease disability with age) was found for multicore myopathy, benign myopathy of childhood with type 1 predominance, carnitine myopathy deficiency and dermatomyositis. It was found a correlation (p < 0.05) of the V&A and the level of specific serum enzymes with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, oculocraniosomatic dystrophies, polymyositis and polyarteritis nodosa. Using regression analysis, we found a weak interrelation between serum enzymes studied simultaneously and the V&A. These weak relations suggest some limitation in the long term use of the five serum enzymes in the evaluation of neuromuscular disorders when compared with V&A; although they are very important in the diagnosis.