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Comment on myasthenia gravis associated with TNF‐α receptor blockers: A multifaceted issue
Author(s) -
Galassi Giuliana,
Ariatti Alessandra,
Codeluppi Luca,
Meletti Stephano
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.21748
Subject(s) - neurology , medicine , clinical neurology , psychology , neuroscience , psychiatry
Fee and Kasarskis12 described a 66-yearold- diabetic man who developed facial weakness and bulbar signs after 6 years of etanercept therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. The patient had an elevated titer of acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR-Ab), and electrophysiologic studies suggested a disorder of neuromuscular transmission associated with axonal polyneuropathy. No immunomodulating therapy was given. After 3–8 months off etanercept his clinical and electrophysiologic features improved, but AChR-Ab titer remained elevated. We recently encountered a 68-year-old woman who experienced fluctuating fatigability 7–8 months after starting etanercept (Enbrel; Wyeth Lederle SpA) taken weekly (50 mg autoinjected subcutaneously) to treat psoriatic arthritis