Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

Physicians should consider a myasthenia gravis diagnosis in patients who exhibit symptoms such as dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), dysphonia (difficulty speaking), palatal weakness, or a feeling that the tongue is swollen, according to a case report. The case study, “Misdiagnosis of myasthenia gravis presenting with tongue and palatal weakness,” was…

Treatment with Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), approved for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, may increase the risk of patients developing other autoimmune diseases including myasthenia gravis, a case report suggests. The report, “Myasthenia gravis following alemtuzumab therapy for multiple sclerosis,” was published in the journal Neurology. A 24-year-old woman…

A new, modified method for removal of the thymus (thymectomy) in patients with myasthenia gravis can help achieve complete resection along with minimal scarring, leading to better cosmetic results, a new case report shows. The study, “Modified unilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis using 5-mm incisions: A case report,” was…

A Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers shows that argenx’s efgartigimod (ARGX-113) holds potential as a safe and effective therapy to reduce autoimmune disease-associated antibodies in many disorders, including myasthenia gravis. Findings from the study, “Neonatal Fc receptor antagonist efgartigimod safely and sustainably reduces IgGs in humans,” were…

There are a number of unanswered questions for researchers and clinicians involved with myasthenia gravis (MG), from understanding the cause of the disease to finding an ideal treatment option for patients, according to a physician. Pedro J. Modrego, MD, from Miguel Servet University Hospital in Zaragoza, Spain, discusses this issue in an…

Concentric needle-jitter is more accurate in diagnosing myasthenia gravis (MG) than repetitive nerve stimulation or acetylcholine receptor antibody positivity, a study reports. The study, “Repetitive nerve stimulation and jitter measurement with disposable concentric needle electrode in newly diagnosed myasthenia gravis patients,” was published in the journal…

Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) have higher levels of a chemical modification — known as DNA methylation — on the CTLA-4 gene, which is linked to higher levels of autoantibodies and inflammatory molecules, according to researchers. The study, “CTLA-4 methylation regulates the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis and the…

Expanded use of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy Soliris (eculizumab) to treat myasthenia gravis (MG) could lead to a significant wholesale cost increase in 2018 and beyond, according to a new study by Prime Therapeutics. Prime manages pharmacy benefits for health plans, employers, and government programs, including Medicare and…

Researchers have determined that video-assisted thoracic surgery to remove a thymoma — a tumor in the thymus — is a safe and effective surgical method. The study, “Video-assisted thoracic surgery for thymoma: long-term follow-up results and prognostic factors—single-center experience of 150 cases,” was published in the Journal of…

The results of a Phase 3 clinical trial are challenging the long-held notion that the same thymus gland mechanism is behind all early-onset cases of the muscle wasting disease myasthenia gravis, researchers report. The team’s article about the subject appeared in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. It…