Margarida Maia, PhD,  science writer—

A recent case report describes an elderly woman who was first diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) after experiencing a myasthenic crisis while being sedated for a surgical procedure. “This case reports a form of discovery of [a] myasthenic crisis outside the usual circumstance,” its authors wrote. “The prognosis depends…

Zytux, a biosimilar of rituximab, may be effective and safe for patients with hard-to-treat myasthenia gravis (MG), a small study suggests. In the study, adding Zytux to prednisolone — a corticosteroid — eased MG symptoms, and improved patients’ quality of life, as well as their ability…

Muscle and physical function improved in patients with clinically stable myasthenia gravis (MG) who participated in an individually tailored six-month exercise program, a small study has found. The exercise program, which combined aerobic and resistance training with stretches, was well-tolerated by all participants. “Physical exercise is safe, effective, and…

An elderly man in India developed generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) after contracting COVID-19, but his condition improved after he was given adequate treatment, a case report described. This new case adds weight to eight other recent reports indicating that COVID-19 may trigger new-onset MG, with most cases occurring in…

Thymectomy – surgical removal of the thymus gland — may be a better option for treating patients with early-onset non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis (MG), a study has found. According to study data, the surgical procedure did not confer an added benefit over non-invasive treatment options for patients with late-onset disease.

A micro RNA molecule called miR-146a was found at high levels in the blood of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), and this is thought to contribute to disease development, a single-site study suggests. The findings put forward miR-146a as “a suitable candidate marker for diagnosing MG,” the researchers wrote.

Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and self-reactive antibodies against the muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) protein are more likely to have poorer outcomes when experiencing a myasthenic crisis than other MG patients, a study suggests. Outcomes linked to MuSK antibody production include longer periods of hospitalization or admittance to intensive care,…

A new type of plasma exchange treatment, called double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP), may be effective and safe for short-term relief of myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms, a review study has found. These findings may have important clinical implications, especially for patients with severe or critical MG, the researchers noted. The review,…