title: Myasthenia gravis: the otolaryngologist's perspective.
abstract: Myasthenia gravis is a motor neuron disease caused by the presence of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors that interfere with the proper function of the neuromuscular junction. Twenty percent of patients with myasthenia gravis present some type of bulbar deficits such as rhinolalia, dysphagia or dysphonia as the first symptom of disease. We report 5 patients with deficits that illustrate different aspects of the disease. Our role as otolaryngologists is to establish a diagnosis or to provide a solution for the respiratory failure caused by chronic aspiration.
authors.affiliation: E.N.T. Department, Hospital San Pedro de Alcántara, Cáceres, SPAIN.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salazar Cabrera
authors.forename: Ma del Rosario
authors.initials: Mdel R
authors.lastname: de Saa Alvarez Md
authors.forename: Magdalena Sofía
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Aparicio Pérez
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcos Calle
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: García García
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010036:Otolaryngology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*