Search NPI Records. The NPI Registry Public Search is a free directory of all active National Provider Identifier (NPI) records. Healthcare providers acquire their unique 10-digit NPIs to identify themselves in a standard way throughout their industry. Individuals or organizations apply for NPIs through the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). After we supply an NPI, we publish the parts of the NPI record that have public relevance, including the provider's name, specialty (taxonomy) and practice address. CMS provides this service based on federal law (45 CFR Part 162). We also supply this directory in a full download file, or through an Application Programming Interface (API).
What Is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy? Muscular dystrophies are a group of diseases that make muscles weaker and less flexible over time. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common type. Itâs caused by flaws in the gene that controls how the body keeps muscles healthy. The disease almost always affects boys, and symptoms usually begin early in childhood. Children with DMD have a hard time standing up, walking, and climbing stairs.
Individuals who have DMD have progressive loss of muscle function and weakness, which begins in the lower limbs. The DMD gene is the second largest gene to date, which encodes the muscle protein, dystrophin. Boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy do not make the dystrophin protein in their muscles. Duchenne muscular dystrophy affects approximately 1 in 3500 male births worldwide. Because this is an inherited disorder, risks include a family history of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Top of page. What are the symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy?