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:

SYMPTOMATIC THERAPY

  • Increase availability of ACh (eg, amifampridine) or inhibit degradation of ACh (eg, pyridostigmine) in the neuromuscular junction23
  • 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) amplitudes24
  • Clinical data suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors, such as pyridostigmine, are generally not effective as long-term monotherapies for LEMS24,25

IMMUNOMODULATORY THERAPY

  • Recommended for flares or when symptomatic treatment is not sufficient23
  • Limited clinical data suggest that oral therapies, in combination with infusion immunomodulatory therapies, may provide a short-term benefit for adult patients with LEMS26

ANTICANCER THERAPY

  • Symptomatic treatment of LEMS is recommended in addition to anticancer therapy for patients with cancer-associated LEMS23
  • In a case study that included 16 patients, treatment with amifampridine was continued in conjunction with antineoplastic therapy27
Man in black cowboy hat standing with thumbs in front jeans pockets

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

Man with Hat

LEMS TREATMENT CATEGORIES:

SYMPTOMATIC THERAPY

  • Increase availability of ACh (eg, amifampridine) or inhibit degradation of ACh (eg, pyridostigmine) in the neuromuscular junction23
  • 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) amplitudes24
  • Clinical data suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors, such as pyridostigmine, are generally not effective as long-term monotherapies for LEMS24,25

IMMUNOMODULATORY THERAPY

  • Recommended for flares or when symptomatic treatment is not sufficient23
  • Limited clinical data suggest that oral therapies, in combination with infusion immunomodulatory therapies, may provide a short-term benefit for adult patients with LEMS26

ANTICANCER THERAPY

  • Symptomatic treatment of LEMS is recommended in addition to anticancer therapy for patients with cancer-associated LEMS23
  • In a case study that included 16 patients, treatment with amifampridine was continued in conjunction with antineoplastic therapy27
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