Neuromuscular junction autoimmune disease: muscle specific kinase antibodies and treatments for myasthenia gravis.

Journal article

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Some of the 20% of myasthenia gravis patients who do not have antibodies to acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) have antibodies to muscle specific kinase (MuSK), but a full understanding of their frequency, the associated clinical phenotype and the mechanisms of action of the antibodies has not yet been achieved. Moreover, some patients do not respond well to conventional corticosteroid therapy. Here we review recent clinical and experimental studies on MuSK antibody associate...

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Authors: Vincent, A; Leite, M

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Current opinion in neurology
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 519-525
• Publication date: 2005-10-01
• DOI: 10.1097/01.wco.0000180660.57801.3f
• EISSN: 1473-6551
• ISSN: 1350-7540
• Language: English
• Keywords: Myasthenia Gravis; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Receptors, Cholinergic; Autoantibodies; Thymus Gland; Humans; Neuromuscular Junction Diseases