| Clinical Significance: | Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness,
most commonly due to autoantibody-mediated loss of functional acetylcholine receptors (AChR) in the
neuromuscular junction. AChR binding autoantibodies are diagnostic of MG, and are found in 85-90% of
MG patients. AChR blocking autoantibodies prevent interaction of binding antibodies with the AChR.
Fewer than 1% of patients have blocking antibodies without binding antibodies. Blocking antibodies are
present in about 50% of patients with MG, but are rare in other conditions. Therefore, blocking antibodies
have utility in ruling out a possible false positive binding assay and detecting the rare patient without
AChR binding antibodies. |
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