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    J Clin Neurol. 2009 Jun;5(2):53-64. Epub 2009 Jun 30.

    Muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase antibody positive myasthenia gravis current status.

    Oh SJ.

    Distinguished Professor of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

    Muscle-specific tyrosine-kinase-antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG) has emerged as a distinct entity since 2001. This disease has been reported worldwide, but with varying rates among patients with generalized acetylcholine-receptor-antibody-negative MG. MuSK-MG was detected in approximately 37% of generalized acetylcholine receptor antibody-negative MG. MuSK-MG patients were predominantly female with more prominent facial and bulbar involvement and more frequent crises. Disease onset tended to be earlier. Patients tended to have a relatively poor edrophonium response but showed prominent decrement in the repetitive nerve stimulation test in the facial muscles. Patients were more likely to display poor tolerance of, or a lack of improvement with, anticholinesterase agents. Somewhat better response was observed with steroids and plasma exchange. Most were managed successfully with aggressive immunomodulatory therapies, although a higher proportion of MuSK-MG patients had a refractory course when compared with other forms of generalized MG. I present here an up-to-date overview on MuSK-MG based on our experience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the existing literature.

    PMID: 19587811 [PubMed - in process]

    PMCID: 2706412

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