The Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis

Acquired myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that affects the neuromuscular junctions.The target of the autoimmune attack in most cases is the skeletal muscle acetylcholine receptor(AChR).The final result remains muscle endplate dysfunction and muscle weakness.Most of patients with myasthenia gravis need a certain immune therapy in different courses of disease to induce a completed remission or near remission of symptoms and maintain it.In this review,the conventional methods and new progresses of management of myastheia gravis will be reviewed,including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors,immune modulationg therapy and thymectomy.The dosage,usage,course of treatment,indication,side effect of drugs and measures to side effect will be introduced.The primary aim of treatment of myasthenia gravis is induction and maintenance of clinical or pharmacologic remission while minimizing adverse effects of therapy.Treatment decisions must be individualized based on clinical classification,severity and coexisting disease,and patient participation in these decisions is essential to successful management.During the past decade,the prognosis of myasthenia gravis was improved significantly as which the imm une therapies,especiall y newly immunosuppressant was used in treatment of myasthenia gravis.So,newly immunosuppressant such as cycloporine,mycophenolate mofetil,tacrolimus,rituxmiab and their pharmacological mechanisms will be focused on in this review.