2014 Volume 31 Issue 1 Pages 22-27
Myasthenia gravis(MG)is an autoimmune disease, caused by impaired neuromuscular transmission. Pathogenic autoantibodies are antibodies to acetylcholine receptor(AChR)and muscle-specific tyrosine kinase(MuSK), and recent studies have revealed that MG is also associated with other autoantibodies such as antibodies to striated muscle. A peak age has been identified in the infantile-onset group and another for the elderly-onset of MG. Recently, the incidence in the elderly population has been increasing. Antibodies to AChR and striated muscle are found more often in elderly-onset MG, suggesting that elderly-onset MG may have a different etiology from early-onset MG. Currently, there is no standard evidence-based treatment. The application of immunotherapy, such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and thymectomy,have increased compared with the use of cholinesterase inhibitors duringthe last 20 years.
