Open AccessMyasthenia Gravis: a Review
Author(s) -
Matsumoto Hideyuki,
Ugawa Yoshikazu
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of general and family medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2189-7948
DOI - 10.14442/jgfm.17.3_211
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , thymectomy , medicine , acetylcholine receptor , immune system , neuromuscular transmission , neuromuscular junction , antibody , immunology , tyrosine kinase , acetylcholine , receptor , pharmacology , neuroscience , biology
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an auto‐immune disorder caused by neuromuscular transmission failure, and is a representative post‐neuromuscular junctional disorder. The most common auto‐immune antibody is the anti‐acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody, which is detected in approximately 80 to 85% of MG patients. Recently, auto‐immune antibodies against the muscle‐specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) and the LDL‐receptor related protein 4 (Lrp4) have also been found. The clinical symptoms and therapeutic responses are highly dependent on the types of auto‐immune antibodies. Thymectomy is a common treatment for MG, although a recent meta‐analysis on thymectomy did not show any clinical benefit. Several new immune‐mediated therapies have become available and the therapeutic strategy is currently changing drastically. In the future, the establishment of a novel therapeutic strategy is expected for this disorder.