[Analysis of the clinical manifestations and electrophysiological changes in 32 patients with atypical myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical characteristics and electrophysiological changes in patients with atypical myasthenia gravis (MG).


METHODS
The characteristics of the clinical symptoms and electrophysiological changes were investigated in 32 patients with atypical MG diagnosed in our hospital from January 2004 to December 2008.


RESULTS
The ages of the patients ranged from 7 to 70 years. Five patients were diagnosed to have ocular MG (OMG), among whom 2 patient only complained of eye discomfort and blurred vision. Twenty-seven patients had generalized MG, and 6 of them showed muscle weakness of the limbs with or without mild difficulty in swallowing or respiratory muscles, but free of muscle dysfunctions in muscles of eyes, head, neck or face. Another 2 patients manifested muscular atrophy. Twenty-three patients (71.9%) displayed both fluctuating symptoms and positive results of fatigue test. Twenty-nine patients (90.6%) have positive results in the neostigmine test. Two patients in the OMG group (40.0%) showed positive results in the low frequency repetitive nerve stimulation (LFRNS), as compared with the 21 patients in the generalized MG group (71.9%) showing positive results. The total positivity rate of LFRNS was 71.9% in the total patients, consistent with the published data.


CONCLUSIONS
In MG patients with atypical clinical symptoms, negative results of neostigmine test and fatigue test, LFRNS test can be an indispensable method to increase detection rate of MG and reduce erroneous or missed diagnosis.
Wei
Hui-xing
HX
Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, China.
Wu
Gang
G
Yang
Jin-shan
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004576:Electromyography; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009388:Neostigmine; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult
D009388:Neostigmine