Drug-induced myasthenic syndromes are caused by numerous medications of various classes. D-penicillamine and interferon alpha lead to an autoimmune process similar to spontaneous myasthenia gravis, whereas many other agents produce weakness by a direct compromise of neuromuscular transmission. A particular problem in clinical practice is the deterioration of neuromuscular transmission by anesth...

The mechanisms that underlie the development and maintenance of autoimmunity in myasthenia gravis are poorly understood. In this investigation, we evaluate the role of survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, in humans and in two animal models. We identified survivin expression in cells with B lymphocyte and plasma cells markers, and in the thymuses of patients with myas...

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy is an autoimmune disease with progressive and relapsing courses. The main clinical presentations are diffuse deep tendon hyporeflexia or areflexia and symmetric proximal-distal muscles weakness. Myasthenia gravis is also an immune mediated disease with fluctuating ocular and bulbar symptoms and sometimes weakness. Although both myasthenia gravis...

Autoimmune myasthenia gravis is a T-cell-dependent, antibody-mediated, rare neuromuscular disorder. Interleukin-4, acting via interleukin-4 receptor alpha, plays a pivotal role in B-cell differentiation and antibody production and has been implicated to influence disease progression in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Polymorphisms of the interleukin-4 receptor alpha gene have been sh...

BACKGROUND The myasthenia gravis is twice as common in women as in men and frequently affects young women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years. Generally, during pregnancy in one third of patients the disease exacerbates, whereas in two thirds it remains clinically unchanged. Complete remission can occur in some patients. METHODS To describe the cli...

Myasthenia gravis is very rare autoimmune disease of neuromuscular junction, which presents as a weakness and increased fatiquability of striated muscles. Formerly, myasthenia was largely constraining disease and often ended by death. Recently, advanced diagnostic methods and variety of therapeutic options allow the full compensation of the disease and the quality of patient life is restored. I...

The value of electronystagmography (ENG) and of tonography in monitoring the beneficial effect of edrophonium chloride (Tensilon) on the extraocular muscles in myasthenia gravis has been assessed. Studies were performed on 17 patients with myasthenia gravis and on 18 control subjects, of whom nine had extraocular muscle weakness due to myopathic or neurogenic lesions.Electronystagmography recor...

In 52 patients with myasthenia gravis serum myoglobin showed a significant inverse correlation to circulating thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels. The highest myoglobin concentration (240 ng/ml) was found in a myasthenia gravis patient with hypothyroidism. Slightly elevated myoglobin (54-60 ng/ml) was measured in four euthyroid myasthenic patients. The data suggest that a concomitant hypothyr...

Imiquimod activates the immune system when applied to a local area. We report a patient with a history of well-controlled myasthenia gravis who was prescribed imiquimod for lentigo maligna. Treatment was halted after 2 weeks when the patient reported itching and irritating sensations in his throat, consistent with previous myasthenia exacerbations. The symptoms improved once imiquimod use was d...

This report of a case of congenital myasthenia gravis and a study of the patient's family are presented not only because of their intrinsic interest, but also because they may help to elucidate this rare condition and to establish it as a disorder of infancy. The accounts of myasthenia gravis in the textbooks do not usually include references to the condition in infancy. The maximal incidence i...