A 54-year-old woman presents to her optometrist complaining that she has been having difficulty focusing on objects near and far.Her vision problems are getting progressively worse.She also thinks that her eyelids are drooping,and she is thinking of getting plastic surgery to "put them back up." The optometrist cannot find a good reason for her vision problems but is able to fit her with glasses and recommends that she see a rheumatologist.What autoantibody would you recommend be tested for in this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms of difficulty focusing, worsening vision, and drooping eyelids suggest the possibility of myasthenia gravis, which is associated with autoantibodies to the acetylcholine receptor. A rheumatologist would be an appropriate specialist to evaluate this possibility. Testing for other autoantibodies may also be appropriate, but given the specific symptoms described, anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies would be the most likely to provide diagnostic information.

A 54-Year-Old Woman Presents to Her Optometrist Complaining That She