Werdnig-Hoffmann disease

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Werdnig-Hoffmann disease (verd-nig hof-man) n. a hereditary disorder that is a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy affecting infants. It causes a symmetrical muscle weakness that eventually affects respiratory and facial muscles. Children usually die by the age of 20 months. [ G. Werdnig (1844–1919), Austrian neurologist; J. Hoffmann (1857–1919), German neurologist]