Arthritis in myasthenia gravis

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Rheumatology
• Neurology

Background:

• Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular junctions.
• Arthropathies encompass a range of joint diseases, often with inflammatory or degenerative origins.

Observation:

• Seven patients with myasthenia gravis presented with various forms of arthropathy.
• Two patients exhibited deforming rheumatoid arthritis, with transient myasthenic symptoms.
• Other patients presented with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, or unspecified arthropathy.

Findings:

• Muscle antibodies of IgG class were detected in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Autoreactivity between muscle antibodies and rheumatoid factor was observed in one patient.
• Two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus showed mild articular symptoms and multivisceral disease indices.

Implications:

• This study suggests a potential link between myasthenia gravis and autoimmune arthropathies.
• The presence of specific autoantibodies and cardiac complications warrants further investigation.
• Understanding these associations may improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for patients with overlapping autoimmune conditions.