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I wasn’t diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) until my sons were grown.

Upon his return from serving in the Navy, one of my sons remarked how happy he was that I could make weekend plans with friends instead of “just recovering each weekend after working all week” like I did when he was growing up. For the most part, my sons knew their mom before diagnosis. Later, they saw the positive results of treatments.

Last week, that same son had a medical emergency stemming from two common illnesses: severe tonsillitis and strep throat. His tonsils appeared abscessed on a CT scan. Additional tests showed that the strep infection had taken hold in his bloodstream.

His…

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Featured

 Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic syndrome: early diagnosis is key

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an uncommon disorder of neuromuscular transmission with distinctive pathophysiological, clinical, electrophysiological and laboratory features. There are two forms of LEMS.

 New Forums Are a First for LEMS Patients

Historically, Facebook has been the only option for online “forums.” However, not all LEMS patients use Facebook, nor do all LEMS patients post there. The trending topics on a Facebook page may not interest a patient. Having to scroll through multiple posts to find a topic is tedious at best.

Articles of Interest

MKSAP: 61-year-old man with progressive weakness

This patient most likely has Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, as suggested by his history of proximal upper and lower limb weakness, the presence of autonomic symptoms (dry eyes/mouth, erectile dysfunction), and the finding of absent deep tendon reflexes on examination. These are characteristic signs and symptoms of the syndrome.

Patients Fear Spike in Price of Old Drugs

Fred Kellerman's life was changed by a free drug that treated his Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome. He and other patients are fearful that they will not be able to afford it if a pharmaceutical company gets exclusive rights to sell it from the F.D.A.

Treatment for Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome

Limited but moderate to high quality evidence from randomised controlled trials showed that over days 3,4-diaminopyridine, or for up to 8 weeks IVIg, improved muscle strength scores and CMAP amplitudes in participants with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome.

Resources

Lambert-Eaton News

Lambert-Eaton News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

LEMS.com

Comprehensive online resource for patients and their families regarding Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS).

American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a syndrome of weakness and fatigue due to an auto-immune process. LEMS is often associated with cancer, particularly lung cancer. There may be symptoms of LEMS before the cancer is diagnosed and once the diagnosis of LEMS has been made, the patient must be followed for the development of cancer.

Muscular Dystrophy Association

The disease is named for Edward Lambert and Lee Eaton, neurologists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who first described myasthenic syndrome in the 1950s and '60s.

HealthEngine

Lambert-Eaton syndrome is a disease of the neuromuscular junction. A syndrome is a constitution of symptoms or conditions that occur together with the clinical significance that there may be presence of a certain disease.

NHS

In about 50% of people with LEMS, the disease is triggered by an underlying lung cancer (the type associated with smoking). These people usually develop the disease in middle age or later. There is no obvious trigger in the other 50% of patients with LEMS who don't have cancer. This form of the disease may start at any age.

NORD

LEMS is characterized by weakness and fatigue especially of the pelvic and thigh muscles. The disease may affect the patient’s ability to engage in strenuous exercise and may make such activities as climbing stairs or walking up a steep walkway difficult. Onset is gradual, typically taking place over several weeks to many months.

Patient

LEMS results from an autoimmune attack directed against the P/Q subtype of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) on the presynaptic motor nerve terminal. These channels are also found in high numbers in the tumour cells associated with LEMS - small cell cancer of the lung (SCCL). It is thought that antibodies are produced against the tumour VGCCs but are then also responsible for the resulting attack on non-cancerous cells and their sequelae. This is supported by animal studies.

PatientsLikeMe

Common symptoms reported by people with Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome...