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Questions posted in the
Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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Subject: Re: symptoms Can myasthenia gravis cause autonomic disfunction? I have weakness in my legs and arms, especially after trying to walk on a treadmill. I also have shortness of breath that is mild from time to time. Within the past few years I also have had vision problems. I also suffer extreme fatigue. Does any of this sound like myasthenia gravis? Also what tests are recommended to confirm a diagnois?
Dear Dorothy: 1. Autonomic dysfunction is quite uncommon in myasthenia gravis (MG), in contradistinction to the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), in which pan-dysautonomia is very common. Autonomic dysfunction is usually meant to mean a measurable deficit in sympathetic/parasympathetic function which manifests with symptoms such as problems with blood pressure/heart rate control, loss of sweating, urinary symptoms, constipation, impotence, dry mouth, pupillary signs, etc. Cholinergic symptoms such as abdominal cramping, diarrhea, excessive salivation, etc may occur as a result of symptomatic treatment of MG with drugs such as mestinon. LEMS is a very rare disorder that has an association with lung cancer, and differs somewhat from MG clinically. 2. Your symptoms, although far from typical, may indeed occur with MG. Tests for MG include the Tensilon test, antibody tests, EMG examination, and the Single Fiber EMG examination. A neurological consultation is appropriate prior to undergoing these tests. Good luck! |
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