Before describing the two following cases of myasthenia gravis, which is also called myasthenia pseudo-paralytica, or asthenic bulbar paralysis, it may be well to recapitulate the chief features

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder characterized clinically by fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigability on exertion. The disease is caused by specific autoantibodies against proteins of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) (Conti-Fine et al, 2002; Sanders & Meriggioli, 2009). Two different autoantibodies are routinely detectable, i.e. antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor ...

Myasthenia gravis is an archetypal human autoimmune disease. Thymectomy proven effective by controlled clinical trials, and commonly part of the immunotherapeutic approach when myasthenia creates generalized weakness. Pemphigus foliaceus also but treated medically; thymectomy not therapy unless thymoma discovered. Autoimmune mechanisms, age distribution, response to in disorders are likely be d...

OBJECTIVES To study mortality and survival of patients with myasthenia gravis. METHODS 290 patients with myasthenia gravis were studied, including 212 incident cases identified during a comprehensive epidemiological study of myasthenia gravis in western Denmark 1975-89. Follow up was performed on 31 December 1994. Survival curves were constructed using the life table method. Patient data were...

BACKGROUND Nemaline rod disease is a congenital myopathy, presentation of which may mimic myasthenia gravis. METHOD We report a suspected case of nemaline rod disease in a female adolescent who presented with features similar to myasthenia gravis but failed to respond effectively to its conventional management. She had features of respiratory failure and cardiomyopathy. RESULTS Patient had ...

INTRODUCTION Oropharyngeal weakness leading to dysphagia is rarely the presenting symptom of myasthenia gravis, but it can be a significant source of morbidity and mortality. The earliest possible diagnosis of myasthenia gravis should be made for better management of this cause of treatable dysphagia. A detailed evaluation of swallowing by videofluoroscopy can assist in making an accurate diagn...

Anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody was undetectable in 26/153 (17%) sera from myasthenia gravis patients assayed by standard RIA using human acetylcholine receptor. Eight of these were found to be positive with a modified protocol using a mixture of normal and denervated AChR, reducing the proportion of "negative" sera to 12%. Many of these were from patients with a short history; two ...

Methods We have analyzed results of surgical treatment of 87 patients having myasthenia gravis. There were 68 (79,2%) female, 19 (21,8%) male. Patients ranged in age from 15 to 64 years. 80 patients (91,9%) had generalized myasthenia, 7 patients (8,1%) had local forms of myasthenia. The most number of patients had IIb – Iva degree of myasthenia according to international clinical classification...