Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EMD) is characterised by (1) early 
contractures of the Achilles tendons, elbows, and postcervical muscles, (2) 
slowly progressive muscle wasting and weakness with a predominantly 
humeroperoneal distribution in the early stages, and (3) cardiomyopathy with 
conduction defects and risk of sudden death. Inheritance is usually X linked 
recessive but can be autosomal dominant. Family linkage studies have mapped X 
linked EMD to the distal long arm of the X chromosome but precise genetic 
localisation has been hampered by the rarity of this condition. We report three 
new families with X linked Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy studied with DNA 
markers from Xq27-qter and three previously published families typed for 
additional markers. No recombination was observed with the red/green cone 
pigment locus, RGCP (lod score, Z = 2.46), the factor VIII coagulant gene locus, 
F8C (Z = 6.39), or with DXS115 (Z = 4.94). Two recombinants were observed which 
mapped EMD distal to DXS15 (DX13) and DXS52 (St14) respectively. Multipoint 
linkage analysis gave odds exceeding 200:1 for EMD being distal to these 
markers. A multipoint analysis incorporating published data gave the map 
cen-DXS304-9cM-DXS15-3cM-DXS52-2 cM-(RGCP,EMD)-3cM-F8C-2cM-DXS115 with odds of 
120:1 in favour of a location for EMD between DXS52 and F8C as compared to the 
next best position distal to F8C.