LEMS Diagnostic Overview
LEMS Diagnostic OdysseyShareCopy LinkCOPIED!
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.
Symptom Onset
Slow progression of disease4*
Patients may not seek medical help immediately
Nonspecific and fluctuating symptoms1,4
Make LEMS difficult to recognize
Clinical presentations similar to other conditions1,4
Often lead to a misdiagnosis
LEMS Diagnosis
Mean time to diagnosis was 4.4 years3
The burden on patients and their families continues to grow the longer LEMS remains undiagnosed and untreated.
*Symptoms that progress rapidly could be a sign of paraneoplastic LEMS.1,9 Read more about paraneoplastic LEMS >
FREQUENTLY MISDIAGNOSEDShareCopy LinkCOPIED!
LEMS is misdiagnosed more than half the time
58% of patients
were misdiagnosed at least once in a cohort of 241 adult patients with LEMS.4
Common LEMS misdiagnoses4
The symptoms of LEMS are often mistaken for more common diseases and disorders, such as myasthenia gravis (MG), multiple sclerosis (MS), myopathies, fibromyalgia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and depression.1,4
Prevalence of misdiagnoses among patients with LEMS (N=140)4
More than 1/3 of misdiagnosed LEMS patients (n=50) were initially diagnosed as having MG4
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.
Shared signs and symptoms of LEMSShareCopy LinkCOPIED!
Understanding the clinical overlap between LEMS and other neuromuscular disorders
LEMS vs…
For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.
For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.
For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.
For a complete list of all the symptoms of LEMS, visit the LEMS Symptom Map.
Stay informed
LEMS Aware is designed to be a resource for physicians to find the latest clinical data, news, and information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of patients with LEMS. Sign up for email alerts so that we can let you know as new content—such as teaching aids, webinars, and other useful resources—becomes available.