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Single fiber EMG as a prognostic tool in myasthenia gravis
Author(s) -
Baruca Mateja,
Leonardis Lea,
Podnar Simon,
HojsFabjan Tanja,
Grad Anton,
Jerin Aleš,
Blagus Rok,
ŠegaJazbec Saša
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.25174
Subject(s) - medicine , electromyography , myasthenia gravis , exacerbation , repetitive nerve stimulation , ocular myasthenia , surgery , physical medicine and rehabilitation
: Single fiber electromyography (SFEMG) is the most sensitive diagnostic tool for diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG). Its prognostic value is not known. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the clinical course of 232 MG patients who presented with only mild symptoms and had SFEMG of the orbicularis oculi muscle. We correlated their SFEMG results with the severity of their later clinical course. Results : During the observation period 39 patients (17%) developed severe disease exacerbations, and 193 (83%) remained stable. Patients with severe disease exacerbation had a significantly higher mean jitter value ( P < 0.0001), a greater percentage of fibers with increased jitter ( P < 0.0001), and/or impulse blocking ( P < 0.0001) on SFEMG. Conclusions : The extent of the SFEMG abnormalities in this study correlated with the later clinical course of MG. Muscle Nerve 54 : 1034–1040, 2016