PMID- 12849266
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20030828
LR  - 20220318
IS  - 1474-4422 (Print)
IS  - 1474-4422 (Linking)
VI  - 2
IP  - 2
DP  - 2003 Feb
TI  - Seronegative generalised myasthenia gravis: clinical features, antibodies, and 
      their targets.
PG  - 99-106
AB  - Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a well-recognised disorder of neuromuscular 
      transmission that can be diagnosed by the presence of antibodies to the 
      acetylcholine receptor (AChR). However, some patients (about 15%) with 
      generalised MG do not have detectable AChR antibodies. There is some evidence, 
      however, that this "seronegative" MG is an antibody-mediated disorder. Plasma 
      from patients with the disorder seems to contain various distinct humoral 
      factors: IgG antibodies that reversibly inhibit AChR function; a non-IgG 
      (possibly IgM) factor that indirectly inhibits AChR function; and an IgG antibody 
      against the muscle-specific kinase (MuSK). The presence of antibodies against 
      MuSK appears to define a subgroup of patients with seronegative MG who have 
      predominantly localised, in many cases bulbar, muscle weaknesses (face, tongue, 
      pharynx, etc) and reduced response to conventional immunosuppressive treatments. 
      Moreover, muscle wasting may be present, which prevents complete response to 
      these therapies.
FAU - Vincent, Angela
AU  - Vincent A
AD  - Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, UK. 
      angela.vincent@imm.ox.ac.uk <angela.vincent@imm.ox.ac.uk>
FAU - Bowen, John
AU  - Bowen J
FAU - Newsom-Davis, John
AU  - Newsom-Davis J
FAU - McConville, John
AU  - McConville J
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Review
PL  - England
TA  - Lancet Neurol
JT  - The Lancet. Neurology
JID - 101139309
RN  - 0 (Antibodies)
SB  - IM
MH  - Antibodies/analysis/*immunology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunologic Tests
MH  - Myasthenia Gravis/diagnosis/*immunology
RF  - 84
EDAT- 2003/07/10 05:00
MHDA- 2003/08/29 05:00
CRDT- 2003/07/10 05:00
PHST- 2003/07/10 05:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2003/08/29 05:00 [medline]
PHST- 2003/07/10 05:00 [entrez]
AID - S1474442203003065 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/s1474-4422(03)00306-5 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Lancet Neurol. 2003 Feb;2(2):99-106. doi: 10.1016/s1474-4422(03)00306-5.