The ocular signs and symptoms of myasthenia gravis. 1982

H J Oosterhuis

Myasthenia gravis is a chronic disease characterized by a fluctuating weakness of voluntary muscles, with a preference for the muscles innervated by the cranial nerves. Ocular symptoms (ptosis, diplopia) were present at onset in 65% of 432 own patients and in 10% of these patients the disease remained confined to the extrinsic eye muscles. A complete remission occurred in 30% of the purely ocular cases within 10 years of onset. The diagnosis depends upon the pattern of weakness, the spontaneous or provoked fluctuation of the symptoms and the favourable response to anticholinesterases. The presence of antibodies against acetylcholine receptor protein is the most recent tool to confirm the diagnosis, but they are absent in 10-20% of the patients with generalized MG and in 20-50% of the purely ocular cases. As the reaction to anticholinesterases in ocular MG is sometimes equivocal or even absent auxillary investigations (electromyography, tonography, nystagmography, curaretest) may be necessary. Oral anticholinesterases (Pyridostigmin, Prostigmin, Ambenomium) usually have a moderate effect on the ptosis and a poor effect on the diplopia so that other measures (ptosishooks, covering one eye) are necessary. In selected patients alternate-day Prednisone is the therapy of choice.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
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
D011241 Prednisone A synthetic anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid derived from CORTISONE. It is biologically inert and converted to PREDNISOLONE in the liver. Dehydrocortisone,delta-Cortisone,Apo-Prednisone,Cortan,Cortancyl,Cutason,Dacortin,Decortin,Decortisyl,Deltasone,Encorton,Encortone,Enkortolon,Kortancyl,Liquid Pred,Meticorten,Orasone,Panafcort,Panasol,Predni Tablinen,Prednidib,Predniment,Prednison Acsis,Prednison Galen,Prednison Hexal,Pronisone,Rectodelt,Sone,Sterapred,Ultracorten,Winpred,Acsis, Prednison
D011950 Receptors, Cholinergic Cell surface proteins that bind acetylcholine with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behavior of cells. Cholinergic receptors are divided into two major classes, muscarinic and nicotinic, based originally on their affinity for nicotine and muscarine. Each group is further subdivided based on pharmacology, location, mode of action, and/or molecular biology. ACh Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptors,Cholinergic Receptor,Cholinergic Receptors,Cholinoceptive Sites,Cholinoceptor,Cholinoceptors,Receptors, Acetylcholine,ACh Receptors,Receptors, ACh,Receptor, ACh,Receptor, Acetylcholine,Receptor, Cholinergic,Sites, Cholinoceptive
D001763 Blepharoptosis Drooping of the upper lid due to deficient development or paralysis of the levator palpebrae muscle. Ptosis, Eyelid,Blepharoptoses,Eyelid Ptoses,Eyelid Ptosis,Ptoses, Eyelid
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children

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