title: Myasthenia gravis presenting as isolated respiratory failure: a case report.
abstract: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is often complicated by respiratory failure, known as a myasthenic crisis. However, most of the patients who develop respiratory symptoms do so during the late course of disease and have other neurological signs and symptoms. However, in some patients respiratory failure is the initial presenting symptom. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman with MG who presented with isolated respiratory failure as her first presenting symptom. As illustrated by this case, it is important to consider neuromuscular disorders in cases of unexplained respiratory failure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Won Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Pil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Kyung Keun
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Chan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hye Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed