Oral function in patients with myasthenia gravis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Oral function in patients with myasthenia gravis

AU - Donskov, Agnete Overgaard

AU - Shimada, Akiko

AU - Vinge, Lotte

AU - Svensson, Peter

AU - Andersen, Henning

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Copyright 2021 Donskov et al.

PY - 2021/6

Y1 - 2021/6

N2 - Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is characterised by muscle weakness and increased fatigability. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate if patients with MG demonstrate different functional chewing patterns and report more complaints related to mastication as compared with healthy controls. Twelve patients (median 60 years Q1-Q3: 46-70) with generalised MG and nine healthy controls (median 57 years Q1-Q3: 55-63) participated. All participants underwent dental and oral examination and were asked to fill in a questionnaire concerning oral health. Static maximum bite force was measured with a bite force transducer, electromyography in the masseter, temporalis, and suprahyoid muscles were recorded, and jaw movement was tracked, during a 5-minute gum chewing test. The patients had more oral complaints (oral health impact profile total score 22.6 vs 7.5 P < 0.01) and had lower peak bite force than controls (18.8kgf (11.1;26.4) (95% CI) vs 29.5 kgf (21.6; 37.4) (P = 0.04)). In contrast, fatigability of the masticatory muscles, as defined by number of chewing cycles during the gum-chewing test, did not differ between patients and controls (P = 0.10). In conclusion, patients had more oral complaints and lower bite force than controls, but did not show significantly different functional chewing patterns. Future studies should aim at integrating measurement of peak force into functional tests. Attention should be given to oral complaints of patients with MG.

AB - Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is characterised by muscle weakness and increased fatigability. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate if patients with MG demonstrate different functional chewing patterns and report more complaints related to mastication as compared with healthy controls. Twelve patients (median 60 years Q1-Q3: 46-70) with generalised MG and nine healthy controls (median 57 years Q1-Q3: 55-63) participated. All participants underwent dental and oral examination and were asked to fill in a questionnaire concerning oral health. Static maximum bite force was measured with a bite force transducer, electromyography in the masseter, temporalis, and suprahyoid muscles were recorded, and jaw movement was tracked, during a 5-minute gum chewing test. The patients had more oral complaints (oral health impact profile total score 22.6 vs 7.5 P < 0.01) and had lower peak bite force than controls (18.8kgf (11.1;26.4) (95% CI) vs 29.5 kgf (21.6; 37.4) (P = 0.04)). In contrast, fatigability of the masticatory muscles, as defined by number of chewing cycles during the gum-chewing test, did not differ between patients and controls (P = 0.10). In conclusion, patients had more oral complaints and lower bite force than controls, but did not show significantly different functional chewing patterns. Future studies should aim at integrating measurement of peak force into functional tests. Attention should be given to oral complaints of patients with MG.

KW - Mastication

KW - Myasthenia Gravis

KW - Oral function

U2 - 10.7717/peerj.11680

DO - 10.7717/peerj.11680

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34249511

SN - 2167-8359

VL - 9

JO - PeerJ

JF - PeerJ

M1 - e11680

ER -