93
The creatinophosphokinase was performed at different laboratories, and
the one used was that closest in time to the first visit; it was noted how many
times above the normal maximum value for age. ENMG was performed with a
Phasis II electromyographer of EBNeuro (Florence / Italy), using standard
techniques of neuroconduction and needle test
(8)
.
Molecular analysis was performed by DNA extraction from leukocytes of
peripheral blood using the phenol/chloroform method
(9)
. The PCR reaction was
carried out according to the methods established by Beggs & Chamberlain
(10),(11)
, using the following exons: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47,
48, 50, 51, 52 and 60 through Multiplex PCR with verification of 3 to 6 exons at
a time. The analysis of the reaction products was performed after
electrophoresis in agarose gel (2.0%), with ethidium bromide and viewed under
ultraviolet light.
Muscle biopsy was performed in the patients who did not present
abnormalities in the molecular study according to ENMC, removing a muscle
specimen by open biopsy of the quadriceps muscle, according to Werneck
(12)
.
The sample was immersed in Isopentane, frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at
-170ºC, and it was then cut in a cryostat into 4-6 micra fragments and placed on
coverdish stained by standard histology techniques (Hematoxilin and Eosin ,
modified Gomori’s Trichrome), and also evaluated by muscle histochemistry
(NADH-tetrazolium reductase, succinate dehydrogenase, alkaline and acid
phosphatases and unspecific esterase). The immunohistochemistry for
dystrophin was performed using the antibody against the C-terminal portion of
the dystrophin (NCL-DYS2 / Novocastra Laboratories Ltda), and the dilutions
were done according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Muscle biopsies
that had at least 03 of the following criteria were considered as having a
dystrophic pattern
(13)
: a) Increased peri/endomisial connective tissue; b)
Substitution of muscle fibers by adipose tissue; c) Necrosis with proportional
phagocytosis; d) Presence of hypercontractile hypertrophic fibers; e) Presence
of basophilic fibers. Scolas’s
(14)
, immunohistochemical classification was used,
defining the three following categories for DMD: 0 – Immunoidentification of the
absent dystrophin (absence of immunofluorescence); 1 – Immunoidentification
of residual dystrophin (a few rare segments); 2 – Immunoidentification of
dystrophin with positive fibers (rare fibers with positive dystrophin).