Comparisons of muscle substrate levels, muscle enzyme activities and muscle morphology in arm and leg muscles in normal subjects and in patients operated upon for coarctation of the aorta in childhood

Abstract

Muscle biopsies from the upper and the lower part of the body (m. deltoideus dx and m. vastus lat dx) were taken in young men, 17—28 years of age, who had been operated upon for coarctation of the aorta in childhood. Significant differences regarding SDH-activity and some muscle substrate levels were found, with higher values in the leg muscle. The same differences were found in ten healthy controls. It is concluded that arm and leg muscle differ in these respects but that the haemodynamic difference remaining after coarctectomy does not seem to influence this situation.

Key Words:

• arm muscle
• ATP
• coarctation of the aorta
• creatine phosphate
• glycogen
• leg muscle
• muscle enzyme activities
• muscle fibre proportion
• muscle fibre sizes
• muscle substrate