title: Head-drop: A frequent feature of late-onset myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Head-drop is often encountered in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, but its frequency and clinical course have not been studied systematically.
  
  
  
  In a retrospective study of a cohort of MG patients seen over a period of 11 years in a tertiary medical center, we assessed the clinical characteristics of patients who had head-drop.
  
  
  
  Of 146 generalized MG patients, 15 had head-drop during the course of their disease. Head-drop patients had older age of onset than those who did not have head-drop (mean age of onset 59.1 vs. 42.3 years) and were predominantly men. Head-drop was present in 23% of patients > 60 versus 6% of those < 60 years, and it improved in 9 of 11 patients with treatment directed to generalized MG.
  
  
  
  Head-drop is a common, treatment-responsive manifestation of late-onset MG. Muscle Nerve 56: 441-444, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 2030, Chicago, Illinois, 60637.
authors.forename: Marvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sih
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 2030, Chicago, Illinois, 60637.
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soliven
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 2030, Chicago, Illinois, 60637.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mathenia
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 2030, Chicago, Illinois, 60637.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 2030, Chicago, Illinois, 60637.
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rezania
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D000067562:Late Onset Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: MuSK; acetylcholine receptor antibody; dropped head; head-drop; late-onset; myasthenia gravis; respiratory weakness