Abstract

CASTRO-SUAREZ, Sheila; CAPARO-ZAMALLOA, César  and  MEZA-VEGA, María. Myasthenia gravis. Rev Neuropsiquiatr [online]. 2017, vol.80, n.4, pp.247-260. ISSN 0034-8597.  http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.20453/rnp.v80i4.3239.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease, characterized by fatigue and localized or generalized muscle weakness, with proximal predominance and fluctuating course; these symptoms stem from the post-synaptic blockade of neuromuscular transmission by antibodies against anti-acetylcholine antibodies and other post-synaptic membrane proteins. The incidence is 8 to 10 cases per million people, and the prevalence of 150 to 250 cases per million; however these figures vary in the different populations studied. The diagnosis of MG is based on the clinical manifestations and positive results of tests such as specific antibodies, neurophysiological tests or therapeutic interventions. The search for associated pathologies should be an important component of the evaluation. The treatment is based on three pillars: use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (pyridostigmine), immunotherapy (corticosteroids or immunosuppressants / immunomodulators) and surgical management (thymectomy).

Keywords : Myasthenia gravis; neuromuscular junction; thymoma.

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