title: Diagnosis of myasthenia gravis: Comparison of anti-nicotinic acetyl choline receptor antibodies, repetitive nerve stimulation and Neostigmine tests at a tertiary neuro care centre in India, a ten year study.
abstract: Anti-nicotinic AChR antibodies (Anti-nAChR antibodies), Repetitive Nerve Stimulation (RNS) and Neostigmine test are used for diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG). We compared their diagnostic agreement in a cohort of 486 MG patients over a period of ten years. Anti-nAChR antibodies, RNS and Neostigmine test showed positivity of 57.36%, 51.78%, and 93.4% respectively in ocular myasthenia and 93.77%, 82.35%, and 97.92% respectively in generalized myasthenia group. Neostigmine test showed higher positivity than anti-nAChR antibodies and RNS test in both groups. A marginal to fair agreement was observed between these tests highlighting their significance in the diagnosis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuromicrobiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India. Electronic address: shripadpatil@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Shripad A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuromicrobiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
authors.forename: Suresh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bokoliya
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
authors.forename: Madhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagappa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
authors.forename: Arun B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Taly
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004576:Electromyography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000187:drug effects*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D009388:Neostigmine
keywords: Anti-nAChR antibodies; Myasthenia gravis; Neostigmine; RNS