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. 2007 Apr;78(4):417-8.
doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2006.102517. Epub 2006 Oct 20.

Epidemiology of myasthenia gravis with anti-muscle specific kinase antibodies in The Netherlands

Erik H Niks  1 , Jan B M Kuks, Jan J G M Verschuuren
Affiliations

Epidemiology of myasthenia gravis with anti-muscle specific kinase antibodies in The Netherlands

Erik H Niks et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2007 Apr.

Abstract

The epidemiology of myasthenia gravis subtypes and the frequency of antibodies to muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) was studied in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis without anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies who had an onset of symptoms between 1990 and 2004 in a well-defined region in The Netherlands. The nationwide prevalence and incidence of myasthenia gravis with anti-MuSK antibodies were also studied. MuSK antibodies were found in 22% of patients with generalised myasthenia gravis without anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. Nationwide, 35 patients with MuSK myasthenia gravis were identified, yielding a prevalence of 1.9 per million (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22 to 2.59) and an annual incidence 0.10 per million person-years (95% CI 0.06 to 0.14).

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None.

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