The Cardio-Neuromuscular Center (CNC) is a multidisciplinary clinic focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with genetic-based disorders that lead to neurologic and cardiac problems. The CNC mission is to provide a more effective high-level care that is centered on uniform care paths and routine follow-ups in order to improve quality of life.

Created in 2013, the CNC is an integrated clinic that offers its patients coordinated visits with a team of cardiologists, neurologists with expertise in neuromuscular disorders, nurses, physical therapists, and orthotics/wheelchair experts. The neurologists have expertise in pediatric and adult neuromuscular disease, and the cardiologists have expertise in genetics and heart failure.

In addition to integrated and streamlined patient care, there is an emphasis on careful screening for affected patient relatives, and referrals for such individuals are requested when necessary. This is particularly important in diseases such as Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 and Emery Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy, where affected individuals may not come to prompt attention due to the mildness of their neuromuscular manifestations.

A full range of on-site neuromuscular clinical services is also available including access to a physical therapist experienced with neuromuscular disorders, an orthotist, a mobility and seating specialist, bedside spirometry to monitor for neuroventilatory weakness, and access to supportive services via a representative of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Director

  • Brian Sommerville, MD

Clinical expertise

Physicians from the Cardio-Neuromuscular Center treat adult skeletal muscle, neurologic and cardiac conditions in adult patients who have been diagnosed as children, adolescents or adults. The Center will also perform screening for family members who may be gene carriers for affected family members. Although all neurologic genetic-based disorders are evaluated and treated at the CNC, genetic neuromuscular diseases are the most common pathologies examined and include:

Cardiomyopathy with or without conduction disease

  • Dystrophin-related Muscular Dystrophies: Duchenne, Becker, and female carriers
  • Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Distrophies: Lamin A/C, Emerin, FHL1, and female carriers
  • Selected Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophies: type 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2I
  • Myofibrillar Myopathies: Desmin, Myotilin
  • Friedreich’s Ataxia
  • Fabry’s Disease – including screening of female carriers

Conduction disease with or without cardiomyopathy

  • Myotonic Dystrophy type 1
  • Myofibrillar myopathy: αB-Crystallin
  • Mitochondrial disorders: Kearns-Sayre syndrome
  • Periodic paralysis: Andersen-Tawil syndrome

Clinical affiliations

The center is supported by an extensive network of collaborative services, including:

Contact information

Washington University Neuromuscular Clinic
Center for Advanced Medicine
Washington University Medical Center
4921 Parkview Place, Floor 6
St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone: 314-362-1291

Referring Physicians: 314-273-0799
Patients: 314-362-1291 or 888-210-8375

Because of the CNC’s focus on integrated care we will only schedule patients that are followed by our neuromuscular and cardiovascular physicians.