EuropeResearch and clinical trials
Two-year follow-up in myotonic dystrophy type 1: fat buildup in leg muscles could be measured with MRI
A study published in a journal and reviewed by independent scientists. Even so, a single study is not conclusive; it needs to be replicated.
In Belgium, 30 adults with DM1 and 30 healthy people were followed for two years. The fat content of the muscles was measured with MRI. Fat buildup in the lower leg muscles increased markedly over two years. This increase could be seen even after six months. Muscle strength and measures of daily function also declined.
What does it mean for patients and families?
This finding may help measure effects more quickly in trials of new drugs. This is a small, single-center study.
Source
Scientific paper: Natural History of Adult-Onset Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: Longitudinal Changes in Radiologic, Clinical, and Patient-Reported Outcomes. Neurology, 2026. DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000218349 · PubMed 42525903
The source page was opened and read on October 7, 2026. Summary prepared by the Doktorclub editorial team and translated from Turkish; it has not yet been reviewed by a physician (a scientific board is being set up).
This page is translated from the Turkish original.
Related disease: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1, Steinert disease)
This page reports a development; it is not a treatment recommendation. Your doctor decides whether a treatment is right for you.