title: Maximal bite force and surface EMG in patients with myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Masticatory muscle strength was quantified in patients with bulbar myasthenia gravis and compared with that of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis, patients in clinical remission (whether or not pharmacological) who previously suffered from bulbar myasthenia gravis, and healthy subjects. Maximal bite force and maximal activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles and of the submental muscle complex were measured. Bite force was decreased in the patients with bulbar myasthenia gravis, but was normal in the patients in the clinical remission group and in the ocular group. These findings were consistent with the results of electromyographic data. Although subjective reports of masticatory muscle weakness provide valuable information, quantitative measurements provide more information about the degree of muscle weakness of individual muscles. This is especially important for longitudinal evaluation of therapy in individual patients and for pharmacotherapeutic research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics and Special Dental Care, University Medical Center, P.O. Box 85.060, 3508 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands. F.G.Weijnen@med.uu.nl
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Weijnen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Bilt
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wokke
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kuks
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: van der Glas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bosman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000503:physiopathology; D014159:Transducers