Exercise and myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease primarily affecting the neuromuscular junction. Its main clinical manifestations are fluctuating muscle weakness and easy fatigability, which are currently believed to be caused by disease-specific autoantibodies. Pharmacological therapy is the first-line treatment for MG, and treatment regimens including glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, and pyridostigmine are considered to significantly improve patients’ clinical manifestations, enabling patients to achieve the treatment goal of minimal manifestation status (MMS). Supportive therapy is also considered equally important in clinical practice. Traditionally, it was thought that exercise might exacerbate symptoms in MG patients; however, with a deeper understanding of MG and the publication of relevant research findings, it is now believed that moderate exercise can benefit stable MG patients.

Keywords

Myasthenia gravis / neuroimmunological diseases / treatment / exercise

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