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 diagnose

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Clinical presentations similar to other conditions1,4

often lead to misdiagnosis

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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 >

As the disease progresses, the burden of patients and their families only increases
As the disease progresses, the burden of patients and their families only increases

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

Icon of ten people with five and a portion of a sixth filled in with solid color representing the 58 percent of patients with LEMS that received a different diagnosis first

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

The clinical presentation of LEMS may resemble other common neuromuscular/neurological disorders and may be misdiagnosed as myasthenia gravis (MG), multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain-Barré syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.1,4

Pie chart showing initial diagnoses prior to confirmation of LEMS. More than one third of diagnosed LEMS patients were previously diagnosed with MG. Initial diagnosis percentages are 37.5 percent myasthenia gravis (MG); 28.6 percent muscle abnormalities; 13.6 percent peripheral nerve abnormalities; 10.7 percent intracranial/spinal cord abnormalities; 6.4 percent depression; and 5 percent were other disorders.
Pie chart showing initial diagnoses prior to confirmation of LEMS. More than one third of diagnosed LEMS patients were previously diagnosed with MG. Initial diagnosis percentages are 37.5 percent myasthenia gravis (MG); 28.6 percent muscle abnormalities; 13.6 percent peripheral nerve abnormalities; 10.7 percent intracranial/spinal cord abnormalities; 6.4 percent depression; and 5 percent were other disorders.
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…

Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and myasthenia gravis (MG): shared symptoms are proximal muscle weakness; fatigue; oculobulbar involvement; symptoms appear in middle adulthood; and they're commonly associated with an underlying tumor

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

Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: shared symptoms are symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and insidious symptom onset Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: shared 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.

Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and multiple sclerosis (MS): shared symptoms are muscle weakness and high incidence of autonomic symptoms Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and multiple sclerosis (MS): shared 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.

Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS): shared symptoms are ascending, symmetrical muscle weakness; hyporeflexia and areflexia; and high incidence of autonomic dysfunction Venn diagram showing shared signs and symptoms of LEMS and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS): shared 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 >