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Clinical features of myasthenia gravis in southern China: a retrospective review of 2,154 cases over 22 years

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Abstract

The objectives of the study are to study the clinical features of myasthenia gravis in southern China. A retrospective study was carried out on all patients who were diagnosed with myasthenia gravis at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University during 1987–2009. Of the 2,154 myasthenia gravis patients, the gender ratio (male:female) was 1:1.15. The median age at onset was 18 years. There was a single peak distribution of age at onset, and 44.8  % were children (≤14 years) at first onset. 1,766 patients (82.0 %) only had ocular symptoms at onset. 1,451 patients (67.4 %) were classified as Osserman grade I. 250 unselected patients received anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies test, in which only 51.2 % were positive. Computed tomography scan/magnetic resonance Imaging of chest were done in 1,354 patients, of which 899 patients (66.4 %) had thymic hyperplasia and 201(14.8 %) had thymoma. There were 150 patients (7.0 %) with myasthenia gravis combined with other autoimmune diseases, in which hyperthyroidism was most common (84 %). 189 (8.8 %) patients experienced 267 episodes of crisis. The rate of family myasthenia gravis was 1.6 % (35/2,154). In conclusion, the clinical features and demography of myasthenia gravis patients in this study are significantly different from prior studies on other regions and ethnic groups.

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Abbreviations

MG:

Myasthenia gravis

AChR:

Anti-acetylcholine receptor

MuSK:

Muscle-specific kinase

EMG:

Electromyography

RNS:

Repetitive nerve stimulation

SFEMG:

Single-fiber electromyography

CMAP:

Compound muscle action potential

CT:

Computed tomography

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

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Acknowledgments

The study has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30870850, 81071002), and the Clinical study of 5010 plan of Sun Yat-sen University (2010003). The work is attributed to the Department of Neurology, Affiliated first Hospital, Sun Yat-sen Uni., Guangzhou 510080, China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen Uni, 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, China

    X. Huang, W. B. Liu, L. N. Men, H. Y. Feng, Y. Li, C. M. Luo & L. Qiu

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  1. X. Huang
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  2. W. B. Liu
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  3. L. N. Men
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  4. H. Y. Feng
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  5. Y. Li
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  6. C. M. Luo
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  7. L. Qiu
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Correspondence to W. B. Liu.

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Huang, X., Liu, W.B., Men, L.N. et al. Clinical features of myasthenia gravis in southern China: a retrospective review of 2,154 cases over 22 years. Neurol Sci 34, 911–917 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1157-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1157-z

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