Striated / Skeletal Muscle Antibody (Aska), Ifa in Raj Bhawan, Hyderabad

People with an autoimmune neurological disease known as Myasthenia Gravis (MG) have a tough time coping with the disease. It causes acute muscle weakness. Patients with this disease lose the ability to control muscles voluntarily and may not be able to move muscles in the face, neck, limbs, and eyes. 

MG is a lifelong neuromuscular disease. It does not have a cure, but specific treatments can help, and some patients may also achieve remission. Neuromuscular diseases like MG, which is one of the most common autoimmune neurological diseases, can be either:

• Ocular, which means that the muscles that are responsible for the movement of the eyes and eyelids weaken over time. This may cause the eyelids to droop or have double vision in some cases. 
• Generalised, which causes muscle weakness in the eye and various body parts such as the neck, arms, legs, throat, and face. This may cause difficulty in speaking or swallowing, lifting your arms above your head, walking long distances, etc. 

The skeletal muscle antibody test helps check the abnormal antibodies count in a patient. These antibodies cause the blocking of receptor sites Acetylcholine, which is a significant neurological transmitter. The skeletal muscle antibody test is generally ordered for patients who experience delayed response rate of muscles, chronic fatigue, slow chewing, and droopy eyelids. 

The serum of the collected blood sample is analysed to test the antibody levels. The results of the skeletal muscle antibody test are interpreted in the following ways:

• If the skeletal muscle antibody test result is positive for autoimmune antibodies, it indicates the possibility of a tumor called thymoma in patients with myasthenia Gravis
• If the result is negative for the presence of autoimmune antibodies, the possibility of MG is not eliminated but requires additional diagnostic tests. 

Since MG is an autoimmune disease, the body's immune system attacks itself due to unknown reasons. People who suffer from MG have antibodies that attack the receptor sites, blocking and disrupting nerve-muscle communication. Hence, there is extreme weakness in the muscle receptors. 

The various symptoms of the disease include: 

• Drooping eyelids
• Double vision
• Difficulty moving the neck up or holding the head up
• Difficulty speaking, swallowing, or chewing
• Trouble walking
• Limb weakness

In a few rare cases, this disease can affect the respiratory system, and you may experience shortness of breath or other severe breathing problems. Since a person suffering from MG may experience extreme weakness and fatigue and keep them away from participating in their favourite activities. It can also lead to depression and other mental health problems. 

At Apollo 24|7, you can get yourself tested with the ASKA skeletal (Striated) muscle antibody test to find the presence of these antibodies and get appropriate treatment immediately. By getting yourself tested with a skeletal muscle antibody test, your healthcare provider can

• Check for the presence of abnormal antibodies in the serum 
• Diagnose you if you are showing positive symptoms of MG

Medically reviewed by Dr Arun Kannan, Sr Consultant Orthopaedics at Apollo Hospitals Greams Road, Chennai