Myasthenia gravis – Signs, causes, and treatment options
The skeletal muscles connect to the bones and help move the face, arms, and legs. Autoimmune conditions like myasthenia gravis can weaken these muscles, making it difficult to perform various tasks, like blinking, making facial expressions, chewing, or walking up the stairs. Muscle weakness can worsen after physical activity and improve after a while of rest rest. While myasthenia gravis may not go away, treatment can help control its symptoms.
Signs
A person with myasthenia gravis might experience various signs.
- Fatigue
- Droopy eyelids
- Limited facial expressions
- Trouble speaking, chewing, or swallowing
- Trouble walking
Causes
The condition usually develops when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Some experts believe this happens because specific immune system cells in the thymus gland have trouble differentiating threats like viruses or bacteria from healthy body components.
Sometimes, genetic changes can result in a specific form of the condition called congenital myasthenia gravis. Similarly, children who receive antibodies from a birthing parent during pregnancy might be affected by neonatal myasthenia.
Treatment options
Those with myasthenia gravis might need to follow various expert-recommended treatment options to control the symptoms.
- Plasma exchange
In this procedure, a machine is used to remove unwanted antibodies from the blood plasma and replace them with donor plasma. Sometimes, doctors suggest replacing existing plasma with a plasma solution. - IV or SC immunoglobulin
Some may receive infusions of donor antibodies or immunoglobulin over two to five days through the intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) route. This treatment may help manage specific types of the condition and even certain complications. - RYSTIGGO®
Healthcare professionals may use UCB’s RYSTIGGO® ( rozanolixizumab-noli ) to manage generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in adults. In this type, harmful anti-AChR or anti-MuSK antibodies may interfere with signals between nerves and specific receptors on muscles. The complication may trigger a loss of signaling in the neuromuscular junction, where the nerves and muscles meet. As a result, one may experience symptoms like muscle weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath. RYSTIGGO® specifically targets a particular receptor, preventing it from extending the life of such harmful antibodies and ensuring a normal breakdown process in the cell.