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Lisa Kokontis, MD; Ludwig Gutmann, MD

Arch Neurol. 2000;57:939-943.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

The past 20 years have seen marked improvement in treatment of immune-mediated neuromuscular diseases because of (1) better understanding of the various pathogenic processes and (2) research and development of immunotherapies. This review focuses on treatable neuromuscular diseases; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is included because new therapies may alter its course. Table 1 outlines the various immunotherapies most commonly used for treatment of immune-mediated neuromuscular diseases today.

Table appears in full text version. Table 1. Immunotherapies Most Commonly Used for Immune-Mediated Neuromuscular Diseases*

INFLAMMATORY MYOPATHIES

The 3 major inflammatory myopathies—dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis (PM), and inclusion body myositis—have different pathogenic mechanisms. In DM, there is a complement-dependent humoral attack on unidentified antigens on the endothelial cell. In PM, the endomysial cell infiltrate contains an abundance of cytotoxic CD8 T cells, with invasion of nonnecrotic muscle fibers by these same cells and macrophages. In inclusion body myositis, immunopathologic factors are less well understood, and . . . [Full Text of this Article]

INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING POLYNEUROPATHIES

MULTIFOCAL MOTOR NEUROPATHY

MOTOR NEURON DISEASES

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

LAMBERT-EATON MYASTHENIC SYNDROME

From the Department of Neurology, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University, Morgantown.

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