Treating LEMS

The progressive nature of LEMS combined with the diagnostic challenges it presents make early symptom recognition essential for optimal patient care

LEMS TREATMENT CATEGORIES:

Increase availability of ACh (eg, amifampridine) or inhibit degradation of ACh (eg, pyridostigmine) in the neuromuscular junction²⁸
In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing the efficacy of amifampridine and pyridostigmine in patients with LEMS, only amifampridine consistently produced significant improvements in muscle strength and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes²⁹
Clinical data suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors, such as pyridostigmine, are generally not effective as long-term monotherapies for LEMS^29,30

Recommended for flares or when symptomatic treatment is not sufficient²⁸
Limited clinical data suggest that oral therapies, in combination with infusion immunomodulatory therapies, may provide a short-term benefit for adult patients with LEMS³¹

Symptomatic treatment of LEMS is recommended in addition to anticancer therapy for patients with cancer-associated LEMS²⁸
In a case study that included 16 patients, treatment with amifampridine was continued in conjunction with antineoplastic therapy³²

LEMS TREATMENT CATEGORIES:

Increase availability of ACh (eg, amifampridine) or inhibit degradation of ACh (eg, pyridostigmine) in the neuromuscular junction²⁸
In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing the efficacy of amifampridine and pyridostigmine in patients with LEMS, only amifampridine consistently produced significant improvements in muscle strength and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes²⁹
Clinical data suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors, such as pyridostigmine, are generally not effective as long-term monotherapies for LEMS^29,30

Recommended for flares or when symptomatic treatment is not sufficient²⁸
Limited clinical data suggest that oral therapies, in combination with infusion immunomodulatory therapies, may provide a short-term benefit for adult patients with LEMS³¹

Symptomatic treatment of LEMS is recommended in addition to anticancer therapy for patients with cancer-associated LEMS²⁸
In a case study that included 16 patients, treatment with amifampridine was continued in conjunction with antineoplastic therapy³²

Watch this brief video animation to better understand how LEMS disrupts communication between neurons and muscle receptors