Myasthenia Gravis: A Review

Acquired myasthenia gravis is a relatively uncommon disorder, with prevalence rates that have increased to about 20 per 100,000 in the US population. This autoimmune disease is characterized by muscle weakness that fluctuates, worsening with exertion, and improving with rest. In about two-thirds of the patients, the involvement of extrinsic ocular muscle presents as the initial symptom, usually progressing to involve other bulbar muscles and limb musculature, resulting in generalized myasthenia gravis. Although the cause of the disorder is unknown, the role of circulating antibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in its pathogenesis is well established. As this disorder is highly treatable, prompt recognition is crucial. During the past decade, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the disease, leading to new treatment modalities and a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality

Rare association of thymoma, myasthenia gravis and sarcoidosis : a case report

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Myasthenia Gravis Presenting Like Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by weakness in specific muscle groups, especially the ocular and bulbar muscles. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) presents with ascending paralysis and areflexia, often secondary to an infection. Several theories have been proposed regarding the etiology behind GBS, with many studies pointing to a possible autoimmune cause. If this is in fact true, it is also possible that the two diseases may develop concurrently. While this is unusual, several recently published studies highlight such cases of concurrent MG and GBS. This co-occurrence could involve certain common proteins, as the two diseases can present somewhat similarly. This is an unusual case of a patient with no significant past medical history, presenting with generalized weakness and symptoms of new-onset diabetes, who developed bilateral ptosis, distal weakness, and areflexia while in the hospital, raising the possibility of concurrent MG and GBS. Although the diagnosis of MG was confirmed by the positive anticholinesterase antibodies and tensilon test, several features, including sudden onset of ascending paralysis and areflexia, were more common in GBS than MG. It is possible, albeit rare, that these two syndromes could have developed concurrently and that the untreated diabetes mellitus could have contributed to the neurological symptoms. This case is reported because of the rarity of its features, diagnostic and management challenges