PCR-RFLP, sequencing, and quantification in molecular diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy: limits and advantages.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neuromuscular disease. It is a common cause of infant mortality. Its incidence is estimated at 1 in 10,000. Clinically, age of onset and the symptoms can distinguish four types of SMA. The objective of this study is to make available to clinicians a reliable and reproducible test for the molecular diagnosis of SMA. We evaluate the benefits and limitations of three tests used in our laboratory (RFLP-PCR, sequencing, and qPCR).