Incidence and prevalence
Comorbidities are common in patients with MG and may negatively affect disease outcomes as well as limit possible treatment options.8,9 Autoimmune disorders are among the most common (9–23%) comorbidities, most frequently in females and in those with early onset MG.8,9 These include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a variety of thyroid diseases, such as Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.8–10 Diabetes is another common comorbidity, especially in late onset MG, and poses a challenge for patient management due to contraindication of corticosteroids in patients with diabetes due to the risk of glucose control disruption.8,9
Learn more
ACh, acetylcholine; AChR, acetylcholine receptor; gMG, generalised myasthenia gravis; MG, myasthenia gravis; NMJ, neuromuscular junction.
Sathasivam, S. Diagnosis and management of myasthenia gravis. Prog Neurol Psychiatry. 2014;18:6–14. Gilhus NE, et al. Myasthenia gravis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2019;5(1):30. Sanders, et al. The Duke myasthenia gravis clinic registry: Description and demographics. Muscle & Nerve. 2020;63(2):209–216. Myasthenia Gravis. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Available at https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/myasthenia-gravis/. Last accessed: June 2023. Dresser L, et al. Myasthenia gravis: Epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations. J Clin Med. 2021;10(11):2235. Beloor Suresh A. Myasthenia Gravis. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559331/. Last accessed: June 2023. Myasthenia Gravis: MedlinePlus. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/myasthenia-gravis/. Last accessed: May 2023. Misra UK, et al. A study of comorbidities in myasthenia gravis. Acta Neurol Belg. 2020;120(1):59–64. Sacca F, et al. Refocusing generalized myasthenia gravis: Patient burden, disease profiles, and the role of evolving therapy.​ Eur J Neurol. 2023:e16180. Lopomo A, Berrih-Aknin S. Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Myasthenia Gravis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2017:8:169.
advance I am a healthcare professional registered in the EU I am not a
healthcare professional