Advancements in the understanding and diagnostic techniques of pathogenic autoantibodies in serum of patients with myasthenia gravis
10.3760/cma.j.cn113694-20230907-00126
- VernacularTitle:重症肌无力患者血清致病性自身抗体的认识进展和诊断技术评述
- Author:
Kexin JIAO
1
;
Chongbo ZHAO
Author Information
1. 复旦大学附属华山医院神经内科 国家神经疾病医学中心 华山医院罕见病中心，上海 200040
- Keywords:
Myasthenia gravis;
Autoantibodies;
Evidence-based medicine;
Diagnosis
- From:
Chinese Journal of Neurology
2024;57(1):5-9
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder mediated by autoantibodies that target the neuromuscular junction. The detection of pathogenic autoantibodies is crucial for the diagnosis and assessment of the disease. Commercial testing institutions and hospitals commonly use techniques such as radioimmunoprecipitation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or cell-based assay to test the serum of MG patients. However, these methods have limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity, and there is a lack of direct comparative studies using high-level evidence-based medicine. The recent release of the SCREAM study using data from Chinese individuals confirms the advantages of cell-based assay, providing level Ⅰ evidence for the preferred recommendation of MG laboratory diagnosis and filling the gap in both domestic and international fields. However, the results obtained from the aforementioned testing methods are difficult to use for longitudinal comparison of patients and may not serve as the best biomarkers for disease monitoring. This article attempts to discuss this question by combining recent advances in understanding the pathogenic autoantibodies of MG and provides an outlook on future developments.
