Open AccessA Case of COVID-19 Vaccine Associated New Diagnosis Myasthenia Gravis
Author(s) -
Augustine Chavez,
Charlotte Pougnier
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of primary care and community health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.55
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 2150-1327
pISSN - 2150-1319
DOI - 10.1177/21501327211051933
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , medicine , evening , exacerbation , covid-19 , intubation , medical diagnosis , work up , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , immunology , surgery , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , astronomy , physics
An 82-year-old man presented with intermittent episodes of slurred speech during his evening meals after receiving the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine. Thorough evaluation was conducted including lab work and EMG confirming a new diagnosis of late-onset myasthenia gravis. Despite treatment, the patient progressed rapidly to severe exacerbation requiring intubation and placement of a PEG tube. Infections provoking new diagnosis and exacerbations of myasthenia gravis have been reported. New diagnosis of myasthenia gravis associated with the COVID-19 vaccine is rarely reported. This case highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of the uncommon presenting symptoms in late-onset myasthenia gravis and the possibility of vaccine provoked diagnoses of immune mediated diseases.