Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Manual Muscle Testing: A Method of Measuring Extremity Muscle Strength Applied to Critically Ill Patients
Published on: April 12, 2011
[Ice pack test in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis]
Nilson Lopes da Fonseca1, Lucia Miriam Dumont Lucci, José Ricardo Carvalho Lima Rehder
1setores de Plástica Ocular e Orbita, Disciplina de Oftalmologia, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil. lopesdafonseca@uol.com.br
Purpose:
To demonstrate the sensitivity and the specificity of the ice test in the differential diagnosis of ptosis in myasthenia gravis.
Methods:
Prospective trial with a control group. The patients were instructed to hold a frozen ice pack on the closed ptotic eyelid. They were divided into 2 groups, with group I consisting of patients with myasthenia gravis and group II (control) consisting of patients with congenital, non-myasthenic myogenic or aponeurotic ptosis.
Results:
All patients in group I had increased palpebral fissure for at least 3 mm after the application of ice pack. No patient in group II showed increased palpebral fissure after the ice test.
Conclusion:
Ice test proved to be specific for the detection of myasthenic ptosis.
Related Concept Videos
Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which leads...
Myasthenia Gravis ll: Pathophysiology
Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests