Diagnosis and Chinese and Western medicine treatment of myasthenia gravis

  Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder mediated by antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), cellular immune-dependent, and complement-involved disorders of neuromuscular junction transmission. It is characterized by partial or generalized skeletal muscle fatigue that worsens with activity, decreases with rest, and is light in the morning and heavy in the evening. It can develop in all age groups.  Clinical manifestations: Asymmetric ptosis (weakness in opening the eyes) and binocular diplopia due to extraocular muscle weakness are the most common first symptoms of MG (seen in more than 50% of MG patients); alternating or bilateral ptosis, eye movement disorders, and usually normal pupil size may occur.  Facial muscle weakness may cause cheek puffing and leakage, incomplete eyelid closure, shallow nasolabial fold, bitter smile or mask-like face; masticatory muscle weakness may cause chewing difficulties; pharyngeal muscle weakness may cause dysarthria, swallowing difficulties, nasal sounds, choking and coughing with water and hoarseness; neck muscle weakness may cause difficulty in head lifting. Muscle weakness can occur in all muscle groups of the limbs, with the proximal end being the most important. The diaphragm may be involved and cough weakness may occur, and respiratory muscle weakness may lead to dyspnea and cyanosis. Even myasthenia gravis crisis may lead to death.  (1) Pharmacological tests: subcutaneous injection of neostigmine 1.0-1.5 mg in adults, and a significant improvement in muscle strength is considered positive, and the Tensilon test can also be done; (2) electrophysiological examination: low-frequency repetitive electrical nerve stimulation (RNS) is the mainstay, and a decrease in wave amplitude of 10-15% or more is considered abnormal; (3) serological examination: AChR antibody is the mainstay, and AChR antibody can be detected in about half of the patients. (4) thymus imaging: about 15% of MG patients also have thymoma, and about 60% of MG patients also have thymic hyperplasia.  (1) Cholinesterase inhibitor therapy: bromipyridamole is the most commonly used cholinesterase inhibitor, used to improve clinical symptoms, and is the first-line drug for all types of MG, the dose of which should be individualized and can generally be combined with other immunosuppressive drugs; (2) Immunosuppressive drug therapy: prednisone acetate, azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, etc.; (3) Intravenous injection of (4) plasma replacement; (5) surgical removal of the thymus gland; (6) Chinese medicine treatment: warming the spleen and kidneys is the mainstay, supplementing the Chinese medicine, including Astragalus, Radix Codonopsis, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Chen Pi, Radix Bupleurum, Radix Rehmanniae, Rhizoma Cistanche, Radix Bacopa monnieri, Radix Glycyrrhizae, etc.; (7) acupuncture treatment: Baihui, Fengchi, Yangbai, Zanzhu, Quchi, Waiguan, Hegu, Zhonggu, Guangyuan, Sansanli, Sanyinjiao, etc. etc.  Note: The treatment of myasthenia gravis is a chronic process, as little as 3 months or even 1-2 years, therefore, to establish confidence to overcome the disease and adhere to the treatment, can achieve better clinical results.