Quantitative muscle MRI biomarkers in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: cross-sectional correlations with age and functional tests

AIM: Using baseline data from a clinical trial of domagrozumab in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, we evaluated the correlation between functional measures and quantitative MRI assessments of thigh muscle. PATIENTS & METHODS: Analysis included timed functional tests, knee extension/strength and North Star Ambulatory Assessment. Patients (n = 120) underwent examinations of one thigh, with MRI sequences to enable measurements of muscle volume (MV), MV index, mean T2 relaxation time via T2-mapping and fat fraction. RESULTS: MV was moderately correlated with strength assessments. MV index, fat fraction and T2-mapping measures had moderate correlations (r ∼ 0.5) to all functional tests, North Star Ambulatory Assessment and age. CONCLUSION: The moderate correlation between functional tests, age and baseline MRI measures supports MRI as a biomarker in Duchenne muscular dystrophy clinical trials. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02310763; registered 4 November 2014.