Myasthenia Gravis

Introduction: Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia Gravis: Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. ... more about Myasthenia Gravis.

Myasthenia Gravis: An autoimmune disorder which interferes with nerve impulses to muscles and hence results in weak, easily fatigued muscles. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Myasthenia Gravis is available below.

Symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis

• Muscle weakness
• Eye muscle weakness
• Eyelid muscle weakness
• Drooping eyelids
• Double vision

See full list of 25 symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis

Medical Textbooks Online about Myasthenia Gravis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Myasthenia Gravis

• Physical examination
• Neurological examination
• Acetylcholine receptor antibody test
• Injection of short-acting neurotransmitter stimulator drug

Read more about tests for Myasthenia Gravis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis?

• Misdiagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis
• Failure to diagnose Myasthenia Gravis
• Underlying causes of Myasthenia Gravis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Myasthenia Gravis

Misdiagnosis and Myasthenia Gravis

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Causes of Myasthenia Gravis

• Thymus tumor
• Thymus abnormality

Read more about causes of Myasthenia Gravis

More information about causes of Myasthenia Gravis:

• Underlying causes of Myasthenia Gravis
• Myasthenia Gravis as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Myasthenia Gravis

Treatments for Myasthenia Gravis

• Medications
  • Neurotransmitter stimulants
  • Anticholinesterase agents
  • Pyridostigmine
  • Immunosuppressants

See full list of 18 treatments for Myasthenia Gravis

Videos for Myasthenia Gravis

Patient Surveys for Myasthenia Gravis

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Myasthenia Gravis
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Prognosis for Myasthenia Gravis

Prognosis for Myasthenia Gravis: Good. Many people go into remission or suffer only mild disability.

More about prognosis of Myasthenia Gravis

Reseach about Myasthenia Gravis

Visit our research pages for current research about Myasthenia Gravis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Myasthenia Gravis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Myasthenia Gravis include:

• Randomized Study of Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Patients With Mild or Moderate Myasthenia Gravis - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - immune globulin
• Trial of Mycophenolate Mofetil in Myasthenia Gravis - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - mycophenolate mofetil,prednisone
• Mycophenolate Mofetil in Myasthenia Gravis - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - mycophenolate mofetil
• Thymectomy Trial in Non-Thymomatous Myasthenia Gravis Patients Receiving Prednisone Therapy - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - prednisone
• Intravenous Immune Globulin Treatment Compared to Placebo in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Intravenous ImmuneGlobulin

See full list of 9 Clinical Trials for Myasthenia Gravis

Statistics for Myasthenia Gravis

• Medical statistics for Myasthenia Gravis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Myasthenia Gravis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Myasthenia Gravis
• Society statistics for Myasthenia Gravis

Types of Myasthenia Gravis

• Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis - the classic autoimmune form.
• Congenital myasthenia - a rare genetic non-autoimmune form occurring in infants.

Read more about Types of Myasthenia Gravis

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Article Excerpts about Myasthenia Gravis

NINDS Myasthenia Gravis Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Myasthenia Gravis Information Page: NINDS)

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that affects the transmission of signals from nerves to muscles. Myasthenia occurs when antibodies, produced by the body’s immune system, mistakenly attack and destroy special proteins called acetylcholine receptors located at the nerve-muscle junctions. As a result, affected individuals experience weakness that fluctuates with activity. (Source: excerpt from MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: NWHIC)

Definitions of Myasthenia Gravis:

Disease characterized by progressive weakness and exhaustibility of voluntary muscles without atrophy or sensory disturbance and caused by an autoimmune attack on acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction. - (Source - Diseases Database)

A chronic progressive disease characterized by chronic fatigue and muscular weakness (especially in the face and neck); caused by a deficiency of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junctions - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Myasthenia Gravis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet