Distribution of dystrophin gene deletions in a Chinese population

OBJECTIVE: To describe the deletion patterns and distribution characteristics of the dystrophin gene in a Chinese population of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). METHODS: Patients with DMD/BMD were recruited. Deletions in 19 exons of the dystrophin gene were evaluated using accurate multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULT: Multiplex PCR identified deletions in 238/401 (59.4%) patients with DMD/BMD. Of these, 196 (82.4%) were in the distal hotspot, 32 (13.4%) were in the proximal hotspot, five (2.1%) were in both regions and five (2.1%) were in neither hotspot. Deletions were classified into 54 patterns. Exon 49 was the most frequently deleted. The reading frame rule was upheld for 91.9% of cases. CONCLUSION: Accurate multiplex PCR for 19 exons is an effective diagnostic tool.