Description

Test Criteria

This test measures the concentration of a substance called acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody in your blood.

Acetylcholine is a chemical that helps muscles contract. It acts as a messenger between nerves and muscles. People who have myasthenia gravis (MG) often make an abnormal protein called acetylcholine receptor antibody. This protein interferes with how acetylcholine works. At first, this causes muscle weakness in the eye. You may have double vision or drooping eyelids. MG is an autoimmune disease because your body makes the antibody that attacks the way acetylcholine normally works.

MG is rare, but it can affect people of any age. It’s most common in women younger than 40 and men older than 60. It’s not contagious, although sometimes the newborn baby of a mother with MG can show symptoms for a few weeks to several months that disappear with treatment.

Most people with the disorder have a normal life span but need treatment to control its debilitating symptoms. These often include: