Autoantibody Profiles of Myasthenia Gravis, Thymoma & Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome

Reasons to Discontinue Testing for AChR Blocking Antibody

July 2009

So previously a test that measured acetylcholine receptor blocking antibodies alone was offered, but this was to be found of minimal clinical utility because the antibody only measures the acetylcholine receptor blocking antibody; whereas, the acetylcholine receptor modulating antibody test detects both modulating and blocking antibodies. The sole clinical utility of the blocking antibody is that it is generally detected in patients who have very severe myasthenia gravis with severe generalized weakness. However, the blocking antibody alone is never positive when the acetylcholine receptor binding and modulating antibody tests are negative. There is no additional information gained from this test for assessing thymoma risk in patients with myasthenia gravis. Therefore, the test is not cost effective.

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Jump to section:

• Introduction
• Serological Diagnostic Algorithms
• 'Hot Topic' Points
• What are MG and LES?
• What are MG and LES?
• MG: Clinical Diagnosis
• MG: Neoplastic Accompaniments
• LES: Clinical Diagnosis
• LES: Electromyography (EMG) Findings
• LES: Neoplastic Accompaniments
• Autoantibodies Aiding MG Diagnosis
• Autoantibodies Aiding MG Diagnosis
• Single Assay Detects AChR Modulating and AChR Blocking Antibodies
• Serum AChR Modulating Antibody Values and Interpretation
• Reasons to Discontinue Testing for AChR Blocking Antibody
• Striational Antibodies
• Autoantibodies Detected in MG Patients with Thymoma
• Autoantibodies Aiding the Diagnosis of LES
• Autoantibodies Aiding the Diagnosis of LES
• Myasthenia Gravis: Adult Diagnostic Algorithm
• Myasthenia Gravis: Pediatric Diagnostic Algorithm
• Myasthenia Gravis: Thymoma Diagnostic Algorithm
• Myasthenia Gravis/Lambert Eaton Syndrome Diagnostic Algorithm
• Summary
• Questions?