Myasthenia gravis
Table of contents
Extract
- Myasthenia gravis is arare autoimmune disease, in which the function of the myoneural junction of the voluntary muscles is impaired
- Symptoms include variable degrees of fatigue and weakness in voluntary musculature, which is aggravated by strain – often towards evening – and relieved by rest.
- Two main types:
- Ocular, limited to the eye muscles (ca. 15% of the cases)
- Generalised; the symptoms are usually most prominent in nuchal muscles and in the proximal muscles of the shoulder and pelvic region.
- Treatment is the domain of neurology units.
- Patients with myasthenia are very sensitive to drugs: check always the compatibility with myasthenia when starting a new drug for a myasthenic patient!
Linked evidence summaries
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are effective in improving sypmtoms in myasthenia gravis.A
- Corticosteroid treatment may have short-term benefit in myasthenia gravis compared with placebo.C
- Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is probably of limited benefit for exacerbations of myasthenia gravis (MG). In chronic MG there is insufficient evidence from RCTs to determine whether IVIg is efficacious.C
Search terms
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists, Aminoglycosides, Aminophylline, Analgesics, Anesthesia, Breast Feeding, Calcium Channel Blockers, Chloroquine, Cholinesterase Inhibitors, Contraceptives, Oral, Dental Care, Diazepam, Dr3, Ephedrine, G70, G70.0, Gold, HLA-B8 Antigen, Immunosuppressive Agents, Infection, Influenza Vaccines, Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome, Morphine, Muscle Weakness, Myasthenia Gravis, Myasthenia Gravis, Neonatal, Neurology, Neuromuscular Junction, Parturition, Penicillamine, Plasmapheresis, Pregnancy, Procainamide, Tetracycline, Thymectomy, Thymoma, acetylcholinesterase antibody, arterial blood gas analysis, bulbar sign, cholinergic crisis, cough medicine, myasthenic crisis, neuromuscular junction disease, respiratory muscle weakness, sulfa