Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37822297›Full record

ArticleAnnals of clinical and translational neurology2023

Comparison of two corticosteroid regimens on brain volumetrics in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Sam Geuens, Jeroen Van Dessel, Rosanne Govaarts, Nadine A Ikelaar, Onno C Meijer, Hermien E Kan, Erik H Niks, Nathalie Goemans, Jurgen Lemiere, Nathalie Doorenweerd and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of clinical and translational neurology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. The behavioural consequences of dystrophinopathy.Disease models & mechanisms · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Sam GeuensChild Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0003-4527-9319
Jeroen Van DesselDepartment of Neurosciences, Center for Developmental Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Rosanne GovaartsC.J. Gorter MRI Center, Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
Nadine A IkelaarDuchenne Center Netherlands, Leiden, Netherlands.
Onno C MeijerDepartment of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
Hermien E KanC.J. Gorter MRI Center, Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
Erik H NiksDuchenne Center Netherlands, Leiden, Netherlands.
Nathalie GoemansChild Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Jurgen LemierePediatric Hemato-Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Nathalie DoorenweerdC.J. Gorter MRI Center, Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
Liesbeth De WaeleChild Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Leiden University Medical Center · NLKU Leuven · BE

Funding

Duchenne Parent Project Netherlands 19.013KanGO! FundRondoufonds voor Duchenneonderzoek
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neuromuscular disorder in which many patients also have neurobehavioral problems. Corticosteroids, the primary pharmacological treatment for DMD, have been shown to affect brain morphology in other conditions, but data in DMD are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of two corticosteroid regimens on brain volumetrics in DMD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

methodsIn a cross-sectional, two-center study, T1-weighted MRI scans were obtained from three age-matched groups (9-18 years): DMD patients treated daily with deflazacort (DMDd, n = 20, scan site: Leuven), DMD patients treated intermittently with prednisone (DMDi, n = 20, scan site: Leiden), and healthy controls (n = 40, both scan sites). FSL was used to perform voxel-based morphometry analyses and to calculate intracranial, total brain, gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes. A MANCOVA was employed to compare global volumetrics between groups, with site as covariate.

resultsBoth patient groups displayed regional differences in gray matter volumes compared to the control group. The DMDd group showed a wider extent of brain regions affected and a greater difference overall. This was substantiated by the global volume quantification: the DMDd group, but not the DMDi group, showed significant differences in gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes compared to the control group, after correction for intracranial volume.

interpretationVolumetric differences in the brain are considered part of the DMD phenotype. This study suggests an additional impact of corticosteroid treatment showing a contrast between pronounced alterations seen in patients receiving daily corticosteroid treatment and more subtle differences in those treated intermittently.

Indexed as

Muscular Dystrophy, DuchenneAdolescentAdrenal Cortex HormonesBrainChildCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPrednisoneAdrenal Cortex HormonesPrednisone

Identifiers

PMID37822297
PMCPMC10723242
OpenAlexW4387564352

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.