José Lopes, PhD, managing science editor —

Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), who are positive for the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody, respond effectively to influenza vaccination, even if taking immunosuppressants. Also, influenza vaccination is safe, and does not exacerbate MG symptoms in these patients, according to a study. The study, titled “A prospective,…

Treatment of adult MuSK-antibody positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG) patients with the investigational therapy Firdapse (amifampridine phosphate) improved muscle strength, eased fatigue, and was safe, according to full results of a Phase 2b clinical trial. Recruitment is ongoing for a phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03579966) testing Firdapse in MuSK-MG patients.

A new test offers a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive way to detect anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). The study with that finding, “A Simple, Rapid and Non-Radiolabeled Immune Assay to Detect Anti-AChR Antibodies in Myasthenia Gravis,” was published in the journal…

Prograf (tacrolimus) suppressed the proliferation and inflammatory responses of specific immune cells collected from patients with MuSK-antibody positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG), a new study. These results provide early evidence of Prograf’s potential in treating this type of MG. The study, “Tacrolimus inhibits Th1 and Th17…

Myasthenia gravis (MG) onset is more common in men ages 40-70 than in women in the same age range. There are also gender differences in the incidence of MG-related manifestations and comorbid autoimmune diseases, according to a new study. This finding is in contrast to the higher prevalence of…

Changes in the ratio of dendritic cells (DCs), a subtype of immune cells, may reflect immune system function and could help predict treatment effectiveness in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), according to a new study. The study, “Imbalance of two main circulating dendritic cell subsets in…

A new case report describes a rare case of a patient with rapid development and worsening of myasthenia gravis (MG) after a stem cell transplant. The research illustrates the importance of considering MG as a potential complication of transplants. The case study, titled “Myasthenia Gravis Presenting…

The interval between two electrical impulses in neurons correlates with clinical severity and may be a biomarker of juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG), according to a small study. The recent research, “Serial Stimulated Jitter Analysis in Juvenile Myasthenia Gravis,” was published in the journal Muscle &…

Surgical removal of the thymus to treat myasthenia gravis (MG) patients without a thymoma — a tumor in the thymus — seems to be more effective than medications, according to a new review study from Brazil. The study, “Thymectomy in nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis — systematic…

Proteins associated with the development of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) were found to aggravate the severity of myasthenia gravis (MG) in a mouse model, which could explain why patients with one disorder are more susceptible to the other condition. Findings were reported in the study, “NMO-IgG…