Foundation creates digital guide to decode medical jargon in MG

The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) has published a new resource designed to help people with myasthenia gravis (MG) understand the medical jargon and terminology that’s commonly used to discuss the disease.

The MG Lexicon offers succinct definitions for a wide range of terms. The definitions are listed alphabetically by term, but the online guide includes an index with terminology sorted into different topics.

These include technical terms used to describe MG symptoms, common tests for diagnosing MG, and the types of medications used to treat the disease. Also listed are terms for the different types of doctors who help care for people with MG, and biological jargon that’s used when experts discuss the condition’s underlying causes.

“This digital MG Lexicon defines terms related to diagnosing, living with, and managing MG to make it easier to understand complex words, phrases, and concepts as part of MG care,” the MGFA stated in a press release. “Patients can empower themselves to accurately describe their symptoms or discuss treatment options with a medical professional or neurologist, and share the MG Lexicon with others who need to understand how the patient is managing the disease.”

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The lexicon was developed as a result of meetings held in 2024, which brought together medical experts, researchers, patients, and industry professionals to collaborate on creating educational materials that can improve the lives of people with MG.

Goal is ‘creating a shared language’ for patients, caregivers, and clinicians

The guide is 17 pages in all, and has sections on “MG Types, Subtypes, and Related Conditions,” “Tests Used to Diagnose MG,” and “MG Symptoms” — with each linked to a definition under its corresponding section in the alphabetical listing of terms.

From the lexicon itself: “It is designed to help community members ‘talk the same language’ when discussing, diagnosing, and understanding MG. By providing clear definitions and context, the lexicon ensures consistent, accessible communication for all stakeholders.”

MG is an autoimmune disorder in which self-reactive antibodies wrongly target healthy proteins at the neuromuscular junction, the site where nerve cells transmit signals to muscle fibers to trigger voluntary movement. These abnormal immune responses interfere with nerve-muscle communication, which results in symptoms such as muscle weakness and fatigue.

This can be physically disabling and emotionally taxing, and in some cases, it can lead to life-threatening problems such as difficulty breathing. According to the MGFA, as many as 100,000 in the U.S. alone are currently living with a diagnosis of MG.

[The lexicon] is designed to help community members ‘talk the same language’ when discussing, diagnosing, and understanding MG. By providing clear definitions and context, the lexicon ensures consistent, accessible communication for all stakeholders.

The MGFA was founded in the early 1950s with the goal of improving the lives of people affected by MG. In addition to creating educational materials like the new lexicon, the group also provides other resources and programs to support people with MG, as well as helping to fund research to advance new MG treatments.

“The MG Lexicon supports this mission by creating a shared language that strengthens dialogue between patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and industry partners,” the guide states.