title: Acute ventilatory failure in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and its response to 3,4-diaminopyridine.
abstract: Respiratory failure is a common manifestation of myasthenia gravis but is infrequent in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), where it is often related to the use of paralytic agents or intercurrent pulmonary pathology. Therapies that are effective acutely in myasthenia gravis are usually of minimal benefit in LEMS. We describe a patient with respiratory failure secondary to LEMS who responded to 3,4-diaminopyridine and review the 12 previously reported cases of ventilatory failure in LEMS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109, USA.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wald
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000208:Acute Disease; D000077770:Amifampridine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015624:Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000077770:Amifampridine