Myasthenia gravis
RSS feedSuccessful use of CAR-T cells in simultaneous myasthenia gravis and Lambert-Eaton syndrome
A German team has reported the treatment with autologous anti-CD19 CAR-T cells of two women with both autoimmune myasthenia and Lambert-Eaton syndrome who had failed to respond to multiple immunotherapies. The two patients, who were wheelchair-dependent before the transplant, regained full mobility, enabling them to cycle and go hiking in the mountains, in particular, within … [Read more]
Myasthenia gravis: mycophenolate and methotrexate better tolerated than azathioprine
A UK national survey of 235 people with myasthenia gravis, 166 on azathioprine, 102 on mycophenolate and 40 on methotrexate, showed that : the most frequent adverse events were liver damage with azathioprine (23%), diarrhoea with mycophenolate (14%) and fatigue with methotrexate (18%); discontinuation of azathioprine due to adverse events was significantly more frequent than … [Read more]
Myasthenia gravis in France seen through the national health data system prism
In order to assess the incidence and prevalence of myasthenia gravis in France, a group of researchers from Auvergne analyzed data contained in the national health data system (SNDS) : the study covered the period 2008-2018, 331 patients were identified in the SNDS, enabling us to extrapolate an incidence of 50 per million inhabitants per … [Read more]
CAR-T cell-based dual therapy successfully tested in refractory myasthenia gravis
In a Letter to the Editor, Chinese clinicians report the case of a 64-year-old myasthenic patient who benefited from CAR-T cells targeting both the BCMA and CD19 antigens: the patient had had a classic course of refractory myasthenia over the seven years since his diagnosis in 2016, a protocol of induced depletion of B lymphocytes … [Read more]
The value of eculizumab in refractory myasthenia gravis and a possible switch to ravulizumab
Japanese clinicians report their real-life experience of administering new anti-complementary molecules in a series of 36 adults with a refractory form of myasthenia gravis (3% of a total cohort of 1,106 myasthenic patients): the 36 patients concerned had received eculizumab (Soliris®) as first-line treatment for an average of 35 months, clinical benefit was observed in … [Read more]
Preserving oral health when taking anti-CD20 drugs
A team from Nice University Hospital reports: a series of six patients aged 34 to 79 who presented with oral disorders (pain, dental abscess or fracture, periodontitis…) 10 days to two years after starting anti-CD20 therapy (rituximab or ocrelizumab) for autoimmune myasthenia, multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica ; the Vigibase worldwide pharmacovigilance database has recorded … [Read more]
Can a simple blood count predict a myasthenic crisis?
According to a retrospective study conducted in Germany on 15 patients who had suffered a total of 21 myasthenic attacks and 43 patients who had not suffered any: an increase in basophils, neutrophils, total leucocytes and platelets was associated with a higher risk of myasthenic attacks, conversely, other haemogram parameters, CRP levels, sex and type … [Read more]
A Canadian survey highlights the very varied levels of knowledge of many adult neurologists regarding corticosteroid therapy
Adult neurologists specialising in neuromuscular diseases often prescribe long-term corticosteroids, particularly for autoimmune diseases (myositis, myasthenia gravis, etc.): an online survey of 99 Canadian neurologists practising in their country of origin or elsewhere was carried out, analysis of the responses from the 71 actual participants revealed shortcomings both in the screening of patients before starting … [Read more]
Chinese study highlights importance of cognitive impairment in myasthenia gravis
The existence of cognitive disorders in autoimmune myasthenia is still debated. Chinese researchers have investigated this question using a battery of tests: 41 patients with a generalized form of myasthenia participated in a study that also included a control group of 45 people matched for gender, age and education level, the protocol consisted of neuropsychological … [Read more]
Overview of neuromuscular diseases
After a brief reminder of the structure of the motor unit and the various modes of inheritance, this document provides short descriptions of the neuromuscular diseases that are part of our scope at AFM-Téléthon, as well as how to manage and treat them. For each group of diseases, as well as in the motor unit … [Read more]
