Abstract
To analyze the correlation between repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) characteristics
and the severity of myasthenia gravis (MG), and to explore its application in evaluating the efficacy of integrated
traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment for generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG). Methods: Adult
GMG patients with spleen-kidney deficiency type, admitted to Wuhan Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese
and Western Medicine from May 2021 to December 2023, were selected and randomly divided into a Western
medicine group and an integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine group. The neuro-electrophysiological characteristics of RNS in all enrolled patients were compared, including the positive rate, distribution of
positive muscles, and the maximum amplitude decrement ratio of the compound muscle action potential
(CMAP). The correlation between the CMAP maximum amplitude decrement ratio and the Quantitative
Myasthenia Gravis Score (QMGs), the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scale, and the
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score in assessing GMG condition was analyzed. Changes in the
CMAP maximum amplitude decrement ratio, QMGs score, MG-ADL score, and TCM symptom score before
treatment, and at 3 and 6 months after treatment were compared and analyzed between the two groups. Results:
A total of 74 GMG patients were enrolled, with 66 actually completing the clinical observation (35 in the
Western medicine group, 31 in the integrated medicine group). Among the enrolled patients, the RNS positive
rate was 81.82% to 94.44% , with no statistically significant difference in positive rates among patients of
different MGFA types (P>0.05). The distribution of RNS positive muscles was consistent with the range of
myasthenia involvement, showing facial nerve > accessory nerve > median nerve. As the MGFA type increased, the CMAP maximum
amplitude decrement ratio showed an upward trend, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Before treatment, and at 3
and 6 months after treatment, there was no significant correlation between the CMAP maximum amplitude decrement ratio and the QMGs
score (P>0.05). Before treatment and at 6 months after treatment, there was a correlation between the CMAP maximum amplitude
decrement ratio and the MG-ADL score (P<0.05). Before treatment, there was a correlation between the CMAP maximum amplitude
decrement ratio and the TCM symptom score (P<0.05). After treatment, the CMAP maximum amplitude decrement ratio, QMGs score,
MG-ADL score, and TCM symptom score in both groups were significantly lower than before treatment (P<0.01). Intergroup comparison
results showed that at 3 and 6 months of treatment, the TCM symptom score in the integrated medicine group was lower than that in the
Western medicine group (P<0.05). Conclusion: In GMG patients, the RNS positive rate is high. The CMAP maximum amplitude
decrement ratio has reference significance in assessing the severity of GMG, the improvement in patients’daily living ability, and the
improvement in TCM symptom scores.
Key words
myasthenia gravis /
repetitive nerve stimulation /
integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment /
electrophysiological
characteristics
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WAN Mei 1 , LUO Lijun 1 , WEI Dongsheng 1 , ZHU Xinyi 2 , YE Tong 2 , YANG Jie.
Application of Repetitive Nerve Stimulation in the Efficacy Evaluation of Integrated
Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Treatment for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis[J]. Neural Injury and Functional Reconstruction. 2025, 20(12): 705-710
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