News

Treatment of juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG) lessens the severity of symptoms in most patients, leading to stable remission without significant amounts of medication, according to a study of Polish patients. The study, “Treatment outcome in Juvenile-onset Myasthenia Gravis,” appeared in the journal Muscle & Nerve.

A small regulatory RNA, called microRNA-653, inhibited the proliferation of thymus cells, called thymocytes, in a mouse model of myasthenia gravis (MG), a study reports. Given that the thymus is often abnormally enlarged in MG patients, these results, although preliminary, suggest that microRNA-653 may be a potential therapeutic…

The inner ear function in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients is significantly impaired, and hearing tests can serve as a diagnostic and monitoring tool, scientists from South Korea say. Their study, “Abnormalities of Otoacoustic Emissions in Myasthenia Gravis: Association With Serological and Electrophysiological Features” was published in the…

A repetitive nerve stimulation test can be a fast and accurate diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis patients undergoing a myasthenic crisis. The study, “Repetitive Nerve Stimulation Test in Myasthenic Crisis,” was published in Muscle & Nerve. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the muscles’ ability to…

Thymectomy — removal of the thymus gland — provides clinical benefits to non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis patients for as long as five years after the procedure, according to a follow-up study. The study, “Long-term effect of thymectomy plus prednisone versus prednisone alone in patients with non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis: 2-year extension…

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,…

Among myasthenia gravis patients (MG), males and those with a higher body mass index are at a higher risk of obstructive sleep apnea, which is similar to what has been been reported in the general population, a study shows. The study, “Characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea in myasthenia…

A team of French researchers may have found a new therapeutic target, the IL-23/Th17 signaling cascade, to control tissue inflammation in patients with myasthenia gravis. The study, “Il-23/Th17 cell pathway: A promising target to alleviate thymic inflammation maintenance in myasthenia gravis,” was published in the Journal of…

MG-ADL, a patient-reported scale commonly used to address symptom severity in myasthenia gravis (MG), has a poor sensitivity for measuring generalized muscle weakness. Researchers suggest that more questions about it be added. The study, titled “Sensitivity of MG-ADL for generalized weakness in myasthenia gravis,” was published…

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.