Double trouble (McArdle's disease and myasthenia gravis): How can exercise help?

• Published in: Muscle & nerve Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 125 - 128
• Main Authors: Lucia, Alejandro, Maté-Muñoz, José L., Pérez, Margarita, Foster, Carl, Gutiérrez-Rivas, Eduardo, Arenas, Joaquín
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.01.2007; Wiley
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Enlargement; Creatine Kinase - blood; Diseases of striated muscles. Neuromuscular diseases; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Therapy - methods; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Glycogen Phosphorylase, Muscle Form - deficiency; Glycogen Storage Disease Type V - complications; Glycogen Storage Disease Type V - physiopathology; Glycogen Storage Disease Type V - rehabilitation; glycogenosis type V; Humans; Hypertrophy - metabolism; Lactic Acid - blood; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - cytology; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - innervation; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Myasthenia Gravis - complications; Myasthenia Gravis - physiopathology; Myasthenia Gravis - rehabilitation; myophosphorylase; Neurology; neuromuscular disease; Neuromuscular Junction - physiopathology; Obesity; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Physical Fitness - physiology; Recovery of Function - physiology; training; Treatment Outcome; VO2peak; Human; Obesity; Nervous system diseases; Neuromuscular diseases; Glycogenosis V Mac Ardle; myophosphorylase; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; neuromuscular disease; training; Rhabdomyolysis; Enzymopathy; Vo2peak; Genetic disease; Striated muscle disease; Myasthenia gravis; Carbohydrate; glycogenosis type V; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0148-639X; 1097-4598
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.20645

We report a 29‐year‐old patient with McArdle's disease and myasthenia gravis. She had been debilitated with McArdle's disease since childhood (with marked rhabdomyolysis) and was obese. Myasthenia gravis was diagnosed at 24 years of age. After 3 months of aerobic exercise training, her exercise capacity increased significantly and she regained the ability to live independently. We conclude that even patients with profound neuromuscular diseases may benefit from carefully prescribed exercise training. Muscle Nerve, 2006