Myasthenia Gravis: Types, Diagnosis and Treatment

The classic autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis (MG), is brought on by certain autoantibodies at the neuromuscular junction. A classic illustration of an antibody-mediated autoimmune illness is MG. Autoantibodies against the acetylcholine receptors are present in the majority of MG patients (AChRs). Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (Lrp4), and agrin are among the less frequently found autoantibodies. The downregulation, destruction, functional blockage, or disruption of AChR clustering in the postsynaptic membrane are all ways in which these autoantibodies interfere with cholinergic transmission between nerve terminals and muscle fibres. Fatigable muscle weakness, which may affect the ocular, bulbar, respiratory, and limb muscles, is the primary clinical symptom of MG. Depending on the autoantibody's kind and whether a thymoma is present, there are different clinical symptoms. By changing the immune homeostasis processes that stop the onset of autoimmune disorders like MG, a number of medications, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, penicillamine, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and interferons, may cause de novo MG. 

Keywords: myasthenia, gravis, diagnosis, treatment