Perfil clínico e epidemiológico dos pacientes com Miastenia Gravis atendidos em um Hospital Universitário

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis is a disease of autoimmune etiology, associated with the presence of antibodies against postsynaptic proteins, which affects the functioning of the neuromuscular junction. The main clinical characteristic is muscular weakness, that affects different muscle groups, with periods of remission and exacerbation of the clinical state. This study aimed to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of the patients assisted by the Neurology Service of the University Hospital of Aracaju, Federal University of Sergipe (HU-UFS). This was an observational, retrospective study in which the cases of acquired autoimmune myasthenia gravis, treated at the Neurology Service of the HU- UFS, were identified. Clinical and epidemiological data were collected upon medical records review. Thirty-seven medical charts of patients with myasthenia gravis were analysed: 70,27% were female and 29,72% were male, at a ratio of 2,3:1. The mean age at symptoms onset was 37,7 tears. The main symptom reported at the initial clinical presentation was palpebral ptosis, present in 64,86% of the patients. The mean illness duration was 7,83 years. The clinical and epidemiological profile of the patients with myasthenia gravis assisted by HU-UFS is compatible with the profiles described in the Brazilian and world literature.