Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 25, 2026
3D Ultrasound Imaging: Fast and Cost-effective Morphometry of Musculoskeletal Tissue
Published on: November 27, 2017
Increased risk of osteoporosis in patients with myasthenia gravis: a population-based cohort study
Jiann-Horng Yeh1, Hsuan-Ju Chen1, Yen-Kung Chen1
1From the Department of Neurology (J.-H.Y., H.-C.C.) and Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center (Y.-K.C.), Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Management Office for Health Data (H.-J.C.), Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science and School of Medicine (C.-H.K.), College of Medicine (H.-J.C.), and Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center (C.-H. K.), China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; and School of Medicine (J.-H.Y., H.-C.C., Y.-K.C.), Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Objective:
To determine the risk of osteoporosis in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) in a large cohort representing 99% of the population of Taiwan.
Methods:
Data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were used to conduct retrospective cohort analyses. The study cohort consisted of 2,073 patients with MG who were 3-fold frequency-matched by age and sex and assigned the same index year as a comparison cohort without MG. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to estimate the risk of osteoporosis.
Results:
The MG cohort had a 1.96-fold increased risk of developing osteoporosis compared with the comparison cohort (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57-2.44). Patients with MG older than 30 years developed an increased risk of osteoporosis, with the highest risk in the age group from 30 to 44 years, compared with the control cohort. Corticosteroid-naïve patients with MG had a 1.52-fold increased risk of developing osteoporosis (HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.11-2.08), and the corticosteroid-treated cohort had a 2.37-fold increased risk of developing osteoporosis (HR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.82-3.07).
Conclusion:
This population-based retrospective cohort study provides evidence that MG is associated with a high risk of osteoporosis regardless of corticosteroid use.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Myasthenia 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...
01:15Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
01:22Myasthenia Gravis ll: Pathophysiology
01:28Disorders 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...
01:26Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
01:26Chemical Synapses
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...