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The first session, the genetics of sudden death, focused on the heart. Professor K Bushby presented a compelling case for pursuing accurate diagnoses in muscular dystrophies. Emery-Dreifuss is a rare muscular dystrophy associated with muscle contractures and a high frequency of cardiac involvement. It may be caused by mutations in either the Emerin gene, in which case it follows an X-linked inheritance pattern, or the LMNA gene, in which case it can be inherited in either an autosomal dominant or recessive form. The clinical phenotype of LMNA mutations is broader than just Emery-Dreifuss, and Professor Bushby cautioned that clinicians should have a high index of suspicion in an undiagnosed dystrophy. Whilst X-linked Emery-Dreifuss can be diagnosed on muscle biopsy using antibodie