title: Increasing incidence of late-onset anti-AChR antibody-seropositive myasthenia gravis.
abstract: The incidence of myasthenia gravis (MG) from 1970 through 1999 was studied in an area with 2.3 million inhabitants. The mean annual incidence rate of early-onset MG was constant at 3.5 x 10(-6). In late-onset MG, the rate increased from 4.7 to 20.8 x 10(-6). The two onset types of MG may thus be distinct disorders. The author hypothesized that late-onset nonthymoma anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-seropositive MG may be provoked by environmental factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Autoimmunology, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Somnier@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Finn E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Somnier
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*; D015983:Selection Bias; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic