Antenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

As a means of assessing the value of fetal serum-creatine-kinase (S.C.K.) levels in the antenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (D.M.D.), fetal muscle from control and at-risk fetuses was studied histologically and the findings were related to fetal S.C.K. levels. Of 7 at-risk fetuses 4 were believed to have normal muscle and all these had normal S.C.K. levels. However, of 3 fetuses with abnormal muscle only 1 had a raised S.C.K. level. At present caution should be exercised in offering antenatal diagnosis in D.M.D. on the basis of fetal S.C.K. levels.