DMPK and respiratory failure: This disease is characterized by progressive atrophy and skeletal muscle weakness as well as systemic manifestations such as cardiac involvement and respiratory failure. MD1 is caused by an expanded cytosine- thymine-guanine (CTG) repeat on chromosome 19 in the 3′ untranslated region of a serine-threonine protein kinase gene called DMPK (dystrophia myotonica protein kinase) [1,2].