LEMS Diagnostic Overview

LEMS Diagnostic Odyssey

A 4-year journey to diagnosis

According to a 2012 cross-sectional study, the mean time to a diagnosis of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) was 4.4 years.3 The infographic below details factors that may contribute to a delayed diagnosis of LEMS.

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Symptom Onset

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Slow progression of disease4*

Patients may not seek medical help immediately

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Nonspecific and fluctuating symptoms4

make LEMS difficult to recognize

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Clinical presentations similar to other conditions1,4

often lead to diagnostic confusion

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LEMS Diagnosis

Mean time to diagnosis was 4.4 years3
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*Symptoms that progress rapidly could be a sign of cancer-associated LEMS.1,9 Read more about cancer and LEMS >

Emily’s Diagnostic Odyssey

Her road to diagnosis was unnecessarily long

Emily's Diagnostic Odyssey video thumbnail - Listen as Emily, a 33-year-old with LEMS, describes the twists and turns she encountered during her 10-month journey to diagnosis

Listen as Emily, a 33-year-old with LEMS, describes the twists and turns she encountered during her 10-month journey to diagnosis.

LEMS DIAGNOSTIC CONUNDRUM

Studies reveal that more than half of patients with LEMS received a different diagnosis first1,4

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58% of patients

were previously diagnosed with a different condition at least once in a cohort of 241 adult patients with LEMS.4

Common Clinical Presentation

LEMS’ clinical presentation often resembles other common neuromuscular and neurological disorders, such as myasthenia gravis (MG), multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain-Barré syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and depression.1,4

Common LEMS misdiagnoses
Could one of these disorders be the cause of your muscle weakness and fatigue?
Help your patients recognize the differences between LEMS and MG

Download “What’s Behind My Symptoms?” to help patients understand what sets these two disorders apart.

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Shared signs and symptoms of LEMS

Understanding the clinical overlap between LEMS and other neuromuscular disorders

LEMS vs…

LEMS vs Myasthenia Gravis (MG) symptoms Venn diagram - overlapping symptoms are proximal muscle weakness, fatigue, oculobulbar involvement, symptoms appear in middle adulthood, and commonly associated with an underlying tumor. LEMS vs Myasthenia Gravis (MG) symptoms Venn diagram - overlapping symptoms are proximal muscle weakness, fatigue, oculobulbar involvement, symptoms appear in middle adulthood, and commonly associated with an underlying tumor.

For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.

LEMS symptoms vs idiopathic inflammatory myopathies symptoms Venn diagram; overlapping symptoms are symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and insidious symptom onset LEMS symptoms vs idiopathic inflammatory myopathies symptoms Venn diagram; overlapping symptoms are symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and insidious symptom onset

For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.

LEMS vs MS symptoms Venn diagram - overlapping symptoms are muscle weakness and high incidence of autonomic symptoms. LEMS vs MS symptoms Venn diagram - overlapping symptoms are muscle weakness and high incidence of autonomic symptoms.

For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.

LEMS vs GBS symptoms Venn diagram - overlapping symptoms are ascending, symmetrical muscle weakness, hyporeflexia and areflexia, and high incidence of autonomic dysfunction LEMS vs GBS symptoms Venn diagram - overlapping symptoms are ascending, symmetrical muscle weakness, hyporeflexia and areflexia, and high incidence of autonomic dysfunction

For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.

Next: LEMS Diagnosis and Treatment >