Clinical and pathophysiologic relevance of autoantibodies in neonatal myasthenia gravis

Between 10% and 20% of neonates born to mothers with myasthenia gravis (MG) develop neonatal MG due to the transfer of maternal autoantibodies across the placenta. Neonatal MG can occur in infants born not only from mothers with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies but also from mothers without detectable muscle antibodies. The low incidence rate may be due to specific autoantibody characteristics that differ among individuals, but a genetic predisposition in some infants is possible.
Source: Pediatrics and Neonatology - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research