RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Changes in respiratory muscle function after neostigmine injection in patients with myasthenia gravis
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 119
OP 121
DO 10.1183/09031936.93.01020119
VO 1
IS 2
A1 L Radwan
A1 M Strugalska
A1 A Koziorowski
YR 1988
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/2/119.abstract
AB In sixteen patients with myasthenia gravis, the weakness of respiratory muscles, especially of expiratory, caused some disturbances in lung function. Thirty minutes after injection of neostigmine, general improvement of muscle function was accompanied by an increase of strength and endurance of respiratory muscles. The mean value of maximal inspiratory mouth pressure (PImax) increased by 33%, maximal expiratory mouth pressure (PEmax) by 23.5% and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) by 21%. As a consequence of these changes amelioration of lung function indices was found, vital capacity increasing on average by 13% and residual volume decreasing by 12.5%. We concluded that patients with generalized myasthenia gravis have disturbances in lung function which may be partially improved by neostigmine injection or other anticholinesterase agents.