Effects of long-term respiratory muscle endurance training on respiratory and functional outcomes in patients with Myasthenia gravis.

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is characterized by reduced muscle endurance and often leads to respiratory complications.

Objective: A long-term respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) based on normocapnic hyperpnea was introduced for the first time in MG patients. We investigated RMET effects on respiratory endurance (RE), MG symptoms, lung function and physical fitness and compared the results with a control group (CG).

Long-term respiratory muscle endurance training in patients with myasthenia gravis: first results after four months of training.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is characterized by reduced muscle endurance and is often accompanied by respiratory complications. Improvement of respiratory function is therefore an important objective in MG therapy. A previous study demonstrated that respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) over four weeks increased respiratory muscle endurance of MG patients to about 200% of baseline.