Biomaterial Database

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: MEDICAL ASPECTS. 1965

L R ZELDOWICZ, and W S BUCKLER

The diagnosis of myasthenia gravis is often difficult and calls for a broader use of pharmacological and electrodiagnostic tests. The decamethonium-edrophonium test, which has proved superior to other procedures for this purpose, is based on neurophysiological principles and depicts the behaviour of the neuromuscular junction. A state of resistance to depolarizing agents in the limited form of myasthenia and a state of a non-depolarizing (competitive) block in advanced cases has been shown. This test has demonstrated that the neuromuscular defect exists throughout the skeletal musculature, including muscles clinically unaffected. It produced no false-positive results either in normal or neurasthenic persons or in patients with neurological diseases with myasthenic symptoms. In a patient with botulism and in a patient with ocular palsies from brain-stem encephalitis the edrophonium test gave a false-positive result, while the decamethonium-edrophonium test was negative.Diagnosis, treatment and management of myasthenic emergencies are described.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009157	Myasthenia Gravis	A disorder of neuromuscular transmission characterized by fatigable weakness of cranial and skeletal muscles with elevated titers of ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS or muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) autoantibodies. Clinical manifestations may include ocular muscle weakness (fluctuating, asymmetric, external ophthalmoplegia; diplopia; ptosis; and weakness of eye closure) and extraocular fatigable weakness of facial, bulbar, respiratory, and proximal limb muscles. The disease may remain limited to the ocular muscles (ocular myasthenia). THYMOMA is commonly associated with this condition.	Anti-MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,MuSK MG,MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Generalized,Myasthenia Gravis, Ocular,Anti MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Generalized Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Anti-MuSK,Myasthenia Gravis, MuSK,Ocular Myasthenia Gravis
D009469	Neuromuscular Junction	The synapse between a neuron and a muscle.	Myoneural Junction,Nerve-Muscle Preparation,Junction, Myoneural,Junction, Neuromuscular,Junctions, Myoneural,Junctions, Neuromuscular,Myoneural Junctions,Nerve Muscle Preparation,Nerve-Muscle Preparations,Neuromuscular Junctions,Preparation, Nerve-Muscle,Preparations, Nerve-Muscle
D009470	Muscle Spindles	Skeletal muscle structures that function as the MECHANORECEPTORS responsible for the stretch or myotactic reflex (REFLEX, STRETCH). They are composed of a bundle of encapsulated SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS, i.e., the intrafusal fibers (nuclear bag 1 fibers, nuclear bag 2 fibers, and nuclear chain fibers) innervated by SENSORY NEURONS.	Muscle Stretch Receptors,Neuromuscular Spindles,Receptors, Stretch, Muscle,Stretch Receptors, Muscle,Muscle Spindle,Muscle Stretch Receptor,Neuromuscular Spindle,Receptor, Muscle Stretch,Receptors, Muscle Stretch,Spindle, Muscle,Spindle, Neuromuscular,Spindles, Muscle,Spindles, Neuromuscular,Stretch Receptor, Muscle
D009497	Neurotic Disorders	Disorders in which the symptoms are distressing to the individual and recognized by him or her as being unacceptable. Social relationships may be greatly affected but usually remain within acceptable limits. The disturbance is relatively enduring or recurrent without treatment.	Neuroses,Psychoneuroses,Disorder, Neurotic,Disorders, Neurotic,Neurotic Disorder
D010600	Pharmacology	The study of the origin, nature, properties, and actions of drugs and their effects on living organisms.	Pharmacologies
D011189	Potassium Chloride	A white crystal or crystalline powder used in BUFFERS; FERTILIZERS; and EXPLOSIVES. It can be used to replenish ELECTROLYTES and restore WATER-ELECTROLYTE BALANCE in treating HYPOKALEMIA.	Slow-K,Chloride, Potassium
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248	Pregnancy Complications	Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases.	Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D001906	Botulism	A disease caused by potent protein NEUROTOXINS produced by CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM which interfere with the presynaptic release of ACETYLCHOLINE at the NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION. Clinical features include abdominal pain, vomiting, acute PARALYSIS (including respiratory paralysis), blurred vision, and DIPLOPIA. Botulism may be classified into several subtypes (e.g., food-borne, infant, wound, and others). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1208)	Botulism, Infantile,Botulism, Toxico-Infectious,Clostridium botulinum Infection,Foodborne Botulism,Infant Botulism,Toxico-Infectious Botulism,Wound Botulism,Botulism, Foodborne,Botulism, Infant,Botulism, Toxico Infectious,Botulism, Wound,Clostridium botulinum Infections,Foodborne Botulisms,Infant Botulisms,Infantile Botulism,Infection, Clostridium botulinum,Toxico Infectious Botulism,Wound Botulisms