Myasthenia gravis
Concept and Etiology: How does the disease affect the
endocrine and neural body systems in particular? How does it
deviate from the definition of health discussed in Module One?
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder that attacks
the communication between the nerve and the muscles,
causing muscles to become weak. The antibodies can
block the protein muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase
or lipoprotein-related protein 4. However, there are some
people that have the disease without these antibodies,
which is known as seronegative (Mayo Clinic, 2021). It
typically occurs in young woman aged 20-30, or older
males age 50 or older. (John Hopkins Medicine, n.d.)
Classification: How is the disease classified?
Myasthenia gravis is a prototypic autoimmune disease
caused by antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (AChR)
leading to weakness of the ocular, bulbar, respiratory,
axial, and limb muscles (Hehir & Silvestri, 2018).
Clinical Manifestations (Symptoms and Signs): What are the
symptoms and signs of the disease or disorder? Be sure you
understand the difference between symptoms (subjective) and
signs (objective).
Signs
Drooping eye lids
Facial muscle involvement, i.e., a smile looking more
like a snarl
Short of breath
Paralysis
Symptoms
Weakness
Trouble swallowing
Fatigue
Hoarseness/ voice changes
Diagnostic Tests: What are some additional diagnostic tests
that can be done to illuminate the diagnosis? For example,
when you injure your ankle, they take an X-ray to determine if
it is broken or sprained.
Some diagnostic tests that can be performed to evaluate
for myasthenia’s gravis are nerve conduction and single-
fibre EMG. Blood test to test for the presence of
acetylcholine receptor antibodies can be tested for, a
Tension test can evaluate baseline muscle strength. They
may also perform a CT or MRI scan of the chest to check
for a thyroid tumour (Signs-and-Symptoms.org, 2017).
References
Hehir, M. K., & Silvestri, N. J. (2018). Generalized Myasthenia Gravis:
Classification, Clinical Presentation, Natural History, and
Epidemiology. Neurol Clinic. Doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2018.01.002
John Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Myasthenia Gravis. Retrieved
November 17, 2021, from John Hopkins Medicine:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-
diseases/myasthenia-gravis
Mayo Clinic. (2021, June 22). Myasthenia gravis. Retrieved from Mayo
Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myasthenia-
gravis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352036
Signs-and-Symptoms.org. (2017). Myasthenia Gravis Signs and
Symptoms. Retrieved from Signs-and-Symptoms.org:
https://www.signs-and-symptoms.org/myasthenia-gravis/#:~:text=T
he%20Most%20Common%20Signs%20and%20Symptoms%20of
%20Myasthenia,Choking%209%20Paralysis%2010%20Hoarseness
%20or%20Changing%20Voice
