News

Rare cases of LEMS in pregnancy show need for personalized care

Managing Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) during pregnancy can be challenging, especially when high blood pressure conditions like preeclampsia are involved, a review paper highlights. Magnesium sulfate is the standard treatment used to prevent seizures associated with preeclampsia, but it can worsen muscle weakness in people with LEMS and raise…

LEMS and autoimmune enteropathy co-occur in rare disorder case

Researchers recently described the case of a young woman diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) together with another very rare immune disorder called autoimmune enteropathy. The report, “A Rare Case of Autoimmune Enteropathy Associated With Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome and a Literature Review,” was published in Cureus. Normally, the…

Updated guidelines urge LEMS testing for lung cancer patients

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a nonprofit alliance of more than 30 cancer centers across the U.S., has now included recommendations for testing for and managing Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) in its updated guidelines for managing small cell lung cancer. While LEMS — an immune condition marked by…

Firdapse boosts muscle strength in Japanese adults with LEMS: Study

Up to a year of treatment with Firdapse (amifampridine) was well tolerated, improved muscle strength, and eased symptoms in Japanese adults with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), a small clinical study shows. “This study revealed the long-term efficacy and tolerability of [Firdapse] in Japanese adults with LEMS,” the study’s…

Man’s reflex abnormality leads to diagnosis, treatment of LEMS

Some people with Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) experience a phenomenon called postexercise facilitation of reflexes, where normal reflexes are initially absent but then briefly return after a muscle is flexed. The case of a man who was diagnosed with LEMS after doctors noted postexercise facilitation of reflexes was…

LEMS diagnosed in woman with other autoimmune conditions

A 56-year-old woman was diagnosed with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) after having been earlier diagnosed with other autoimmune conditions, a U.K. case study reports. The woman’s previous conditions included neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), which primarily affects the spinal cord and optic nerve, which sends and receives signals…

MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference starts on March 16

Note: This story has been updated March 6, 2025, to correct a quote from Mindy Henderson, MDA vice president of disability outreach and empowerment. The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is once again hosting its annual gathering, the MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference. The 2025 event will take place…