title: Serological and clinical features of patients with myasthenia gravis in north Indian population.
abstract: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a disorder of neuromuscular junction associated with presence of antibodies against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here, we compared the clinical and serological profile of seropositive myasthenia gravis (SPMG) and seronegative myasthenia gravis (SNMG) patients. Anti-AChR antibody was measured using radio receptor immunoassay and correlated with clinical phenotype in 250 MG patients over 2004 and 2006. Out of 250 MG patients, 161 (64.4%) were males (male:female = 1.8:1). SNMG patients formed 40% (n = 101) of our MG patients which is much higher as compared to Caucasian and Oriental population (15%-20%). The median age of disease onset in SPMG was significantly higher than SNMG patients (43 years; range 8-74 vs. 35 years; range 4-72, p = .022). A bimodal peak of age of disease onset in both genders was observed (first peak in second-third decades and second one in fifth-sixth decades). Among the MG patients with late-onset of disease, male were significantly higher compared to Caucasian and Oriental MG population (p = .047). MG patients with thymoma were significantly older and consisted of higher percent of males. Bulbar symptoms and severe grade (IIB+ III+ IV) at disease onset were more frequent in SPMG than SNMG patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suhail
authors.forename: Vivekanandhan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Subbiah
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Madhuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic