National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1A



Other Names:
LGMD1A; Muscular dystrophy, proximal, type 1A; LGMD1
Categories:
Subtypes:
Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2P
This disease is grouped under:

The following summary is from Orphanet, a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.
orphanet

Orpha Number: 266

Definition
A rare subtype of autosomal dominant limb girdle muscular dystrophy characterized by an adult onset of proximal shoulder and hip girdle weakness (that later progresses to include distal weakness), nasal speech and dysarthria. Other frequent findings include tightened heel cords, reduced deep-tendon reflexes and elevated creatine kinase serum levels. Respiratory failure, as well as mild facial weakness and dysphagia, may also be observed.

Visit the Orphanet disease page for more resources.
Last updated: 4/1/2017

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Proximal muscle weakness
Weakness in muscles of upper arms and upper legs
0003701
Shoulder girdle muscle weakness
Weak shoulder muscles
0003547
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Autophagic vacuoles 0003736
Difficulty climbing stairs
Difficulty walking up stairs
0003551
Difficulty standing
Difficulty in standing
0003698
Distal muscle weakness
Weakness of outermost muscles
0002460
Elevated serum creatine kinase
Elevated blood creatine phosphokinase
Elevated circulating creatine phosphokinase
Elevated creatine kinase
Elevated serum CPK
Elevated serum creatine phosphokinase
High serum creatine kinase
Increased CPK
Increased creatine kinase
Increased creatine phosphokinase
Increased serum CK
Increased serum creatine kinase
Increased serum creatine phosphokinase
[ more ]
0003236
EMG: myopathic abnormalities 0003458
Fatty replacement of skeletal muscle 0012548
Foot dorsiflexor weakness
Foot drop
0009027
Hip flexor weakness 0012515
Inability to walk 0002540
Increased endomysial connective tissue 0100297
Increased variability in muscle fiber diameter 0003557
Limited elbow flexion 0006376
Limited knee flexion/extension 0005085
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Dysphagia
Poor swallowing
Swallowing difficulties
Swallowing difficulty
[ more ]
0002015
Facial hypotonia
Decreased facial muscle tone
Low facial muscle tone
Reduced facial muscle tone
[ more ]
0000297
Reduced maximal inspiratory pressure 0012496
Reduced vital capacity 0002792
Respiratory failure 0002878
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Achilles tendon contracture
Shortening of the achilles tendon
Tight achilles tendon
[ more ]
0001771
Adult onset
Symptoms begin in adulthood
0003581
Areflexia
Absent tendon reflexes
0001284
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Cardiomyopathy
Disease of the heart muscle
0001638
Distal amyotrophy
Distal muscle wasting
0003693
Hyporeflexia of lower limbs 0002600
Muscle fiber cytoplasmatic inclusion bodies 0100303
Muscle stiffness 0003552
Myalgia
Muscle ache
Muscle pain
[ more ]
0003326
Myofibrillar myopathy 0003715
Polyneuropathy
Peripheral nerve disease
0001271
Progressive distal muscle weakness 0009063
Slow progression
Signs and symptoms worsen slowly with time
0003677
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Community Resources

  • The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has information on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues related to this condition. JAN is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy in the U.S. Department of Labor.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1A. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) (NINDS) collects and disseminates research information related to neurological disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1A. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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