Anti-MuSK-positive myasthenia gravis: neuromuscular transmission failure in facial and limb muscles

Acta Neurol Scand. 2007 Feb;115(2):126-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2006.00721.x.

Abstract

The presence of antibodies against muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) appears to define a subgroup of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) characterized by weakness predominant in bulbar, facial and neck muscles compared with anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive MG. To investigate the patterns and severity of neuromuscular transmission failure in different muscles in MuSK-positive MG, we performed single fiber electromyography (SFEMG) in the facial (frontalis) and limb (extensor digitorum communis, EDC) muscles in three anti-Musk-positive patients, and compared results with those of 11 anti-AChR-positive patients. Only one of the three MuSK-positive patients had abnormal jitter in EDC, but all the three showed clearly increased jitter in the frontalis. By contrast, the AChR-positive patients showed similarly abnormal jitter for the two muscles. These results suggest that when the diagnosis of anti-MuSK-positive MG is suspected, SFEMG should be performed in most prominently affected muscles.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / blood*
  • Electromyography
  • Face
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leg
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / blood*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / physiopathology*
  • Neuromuscular Junction / physiopathology
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / immunology*
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • MUSK protein, human
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases