Creatine kinase response to high-intensity aerobic exercise in adult-onset muscular dystrophy.

Introduction: We investigated the effect of high-intensity exercise on plasma creatine kinase (CK) in patients with muscular dystrophies.

Methods: Fourteen patients with Becker (BMD), facioscapulohumeral (FSHD), or limb-girdle type 2 (LGMD2) muscular dystrophy, and 8 healthy subjects performed 5 cycling tests: an incremental max test, and tests at 65%, 75%, 85%, and 95% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max ). Heart rate and oxygen consumption were measured during the tests, and plasma CK was measured before, immediately after, and 24 hours after exercise.

Results: All subjects were able to perform high-intensity exercise at the different levels. In patients with LGMD2 and FSHD, CK normalized 24 hours after exercise compared with the pre-exercise value, whereas those with BMD and healthy controls had elevated CK values 24 hours after exercise.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that high-intensity exercise is generally well tolerated in patients with LGMD2 and FSHD, whereas those with BMD may be more prone to exercise-induced damage.