Muscular dystrophy
MONDO:0020121Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of more than 30 genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control movement. Some forms of MD are seen in newborns, infants or children, while others have late-onset and may not appear until middle age or later. The disorders differ in terms of the distribution and extent of muscle weakness (some forms of MD also affect cardiac muscle), age of onset, rate of progression, and pattern of inheritance. The prognosis for people with MD varies according to the type and progression of the disorder. There is no specific treatment to stop or reverse any form of MD. Treatment is supportive and may include physical therapy, respiratory therapy, speech therapy, orthopedic appliances used for support, corrective orthopedic surgery, and medicationsincluding corticosteroids, anticonvulsants (seizure medications), immunosuppressants, and antibiotics. Some individuals may need assisted ventilation to treat respiratory muscle weaknessor a pacemaker for cardiac (heart)abnormalities.
290 clinical trials for this condition and its sub-types, 74 tagged with Muscular dystrophy itself.
Follow this condition to get notified about new trialsWhere it sits in the disease tree
Browse by category →Part of
Sub-types of Muscular dystrophy
-
DMD-related muscular dystrophy 0 trials · 146 incl. sub-types
2 sub-types
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy 145 trials
- Becker muscular dystrophy 23 trials Sub-types →
-
Progressive muscular dystrophy 2 trials · 125 incl. sub-types
13 sub-types
- Myotonic dystrophy 56 trials · 57 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy 36 trials · 40 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 17 trials · 26 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy 2 trials · 4 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Symptomatic form of muscular dystrophy of Duchenne and Becker in female carriers 4 trials
- Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy 3 trials Sub-types →
- Congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles 1 trial Sub-types →
- Bethlem myopathy 0 trials Sub-types →
- X-linked myopathy with excessive autophagy 0 trials Sub-types →
- Childhood-onset progressive contractures-limb-girdle weakness-muscle dystrophy syndrome 0 trials
- Myopathy, myofibrillar, 9, with early respiratory failure 0 trials
- Oculopharyngodistal myopathy 0 trials Sub-types →
- Progressive scapulohumeroperoneal distal myopathy 0 trials
-
Congenital muscular dystrophy 1 trial · 10 incl. sub-types
23 sub-types
- Congenital merosin-deficient muscular dystrophy 1A 3 trials
- Congenital myasthenic syndrome 10 3 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy due to LMNA mutation 2 trials
- Muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy 0 trials · 1 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Rigid spine syndrome 0 trials · 1 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Bethlem myopathy 0 trials Sub-types →
- SNUPN-related muscular dystrophy with or without multi-system involvement 0 trials Sub-types →
- Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy 0 trials Sub-types →
- Arthrogryposis due to muscular dystrophy 0 trials
- Autosomal recessive myogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita 0 trials
- Collagen 6-related congenital muscular dystrophy 0 trials Sub-types →
- Congenital muscular dystrophy 1B 0 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy caused by variation in POMGNT2 0 trials Sub-types →
- Congenital muscular dystrophy due to integrin alpha-7 deficiency 0 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy with cataracts and intellectual disability 0 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy with hyperlaxity 0 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy without intellectual disability 0 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy-infantile cataract-hypogonadism syndrome 0 trials
- Congenital muscular dystrophy-respiratory failure-skin abnormalities-joint hyperlaxity syndrome 0 trials
- Congenital myopathy, Paradas type 0 trials
- Megaconial type congenital muscular dystrophy 0 trials
- Muscle-eye-brain disease 0 trials Sub-types →
- Muscular dystrophy, congenital, with rapid progression 0 trials
-
Distal myopathy 1 trial · 4 incl. sub-types
11 sub-types
- Miyoshi myopathy 1 trial · 2 incl. sub-types Sub-types →
- Myopathy, distal, 5 1 trial
- MYH7-related skeletal myopathy 0 trials
- Asymptomatic hyperckemia-myalgia-rhabdomyolysis syndrome 0 trials
- Autosomal dominant distal myopathy 0 trials Sub-types →
- Distal myopathy with anterior tibial onset 0 trials
- Myopathy, distal, 7, adult-onset, X-linked 0 trials
- Myopathy, distal, infantile-onset 0 trials
- Myopathy, distal, with rimmed vacuoles 0 trials
- Nebulin-related early-onset distal myopathy 0 trials
- Oculopharyngodistal myopathy 0 trials Sub-types →
-
LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy 2 trials · 3 incl. sub-types
2 sub-types
-
Fukuda-Miyanomae-Nakata syndrome 0 trials
-
Muscular dystrophy, Barnes type 0 trials
-
Muscular dystrophy, Mabry type 0 trials
-
Muscular dystrophy, cardiac type 0 trials
Most studied deeper sub-types
-
Mind-Controlled computers: new device aims to help paralyzed veterans regain independence
Disease control Not yet recruitingThis study will test a mobile brain-computer interface (iBCI) that lets people with severe paralysis control computers and mobile devices using only their thoughts. Two veterans with conditions like spinal cord injury or ALS will use the device at home. The goal is to see if the …
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development • Aim: Disease control
Last updated Jul 29, 2026 00:00 UTC
-
Can a support group boost confidence for parents of kids with DMD or SMA?
Symptom relief Not yet recruitingThis study tests whether a multicomponent support group can improve the confidence (self-efficacy) of primary caregivers of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy or spinal muscular atrophy in Pakistan. Thirty caregivers will join group sessions with doctors, therapists, and o…
Sponsor: Aga Khan University • Aim: Symptom relief
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 08:12 UTC
-
500 kids with muscular dystrophy to be tracked in major new study
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study will follow 500 boys aged 1 to 18 with Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy for several years. Researchers will track their muscle function, body composition, lab tests, and heart and lung imaging to map how the disease changes over time. The goal is to create a model…
Sponsor: West China Second University Hospital • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 12:04 UTC
-
New registry aims to improve care for muscular dystrophy patients
Knowledge-focused Not yet recruitingThis study is creating a registry for people with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, as well as symptomatic female carriers. The goal is to collect health data and quality-of-life information to monitor how new therapies work in real-world settings. Up to 1,500 participants …
Sponsor: Dr. Andreas Ziegler • Aim: Knowledge-focused
Last updated Jun 27, 2026 09:05 UTC