Author Archives: Margarida Maia PhD

Telehealth Helpful in Monitoring Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy

Currently used clinical scales for men with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) can be easily and reliably used remotely to monitor disease progression when patients are unable to visit a doctor’s office, according to a study in Italy. The study, “Reliable virtual clinical assessment in spino-bulbar…

Hip Pain More Common in SMA Type 2 Than Type 1 Children: Study

Hip pain is about four times more common among children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2 than among those with type 1 disease, according to a study on pediatric patients who were unable to walk. While nearly all children had evidence of hip joint problems on…

Patients See Physiotherapy Benefits; Few Adopt Special Diet: Survey

People with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) feel the need to engage in physiotherapy exercises, which they see as a beneficial intervention, but most don’t adopt a special diet, despite frequent nutrition-related problems. These are the findings of a survey by SMA Europe presented through a poster at…

Spinraza May Restore Development of Motor Neurons in SMA Children

Spinraza (nusinersen) may restore the normal development of motor neurons — the nerve cells responsible for making muscle cells work — in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), particularly those who start treatment early, a study found. Besides getting motor neurons back onto their developmental trajectory, Spinraza also may slow their…