Respiratory failure in myasthenia gravis due to vocal cord paresis
W. W. Schmidt-Nowara, E. J. Marder and P. A. Feil
Paroxysmal dyspnea and stridor in a patient with myasthenia were shown to
be due to weakness of vocal cord abductors that improved with
anticholinesterase therapy. Despite adequate inspiratory force, breathing
was severely impaired by increased inspiratory resistance. The inspiratory
flow-volume loop was useful in documenting the laryngeal obstruction and
monitoring the effect of therapy. Reinterpretation of previous studies
suggests that upper airway obstruction may often contribute to respiratory
failure in patients with myasthenia.
