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Thymectomy and Antimuscle Antibodies in Nonthymomatous Myasthenia Gravis
Author(s) -
ROMI FREDRIK,
GILHUS NILS E.,
VARHAUG JAN E.,
MYKING ANDREAS,
SKEIE GEIR O.,
AARLI JOHAN A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1254.062
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , thymectomy , antibody , medicine , immunology
A bstract : The clinical effect of thymectomy in early‐ and late‐onset myasthenia gravis (MG) and the correlation to MG severity, pharmacological treatment, and antimuscle antibodies were examined in two series of consecutive acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody‐positive nonthymoma MG patients. The results indicate a benefit of thymectomy in early‐onset MG, but no obvious clinical benefit in late‐onset MG. The presence of muscle autoantibodies did not influence the outcome of thymectomy in early‐onset MG. In late‐onset MG, improvement is least likely in patients with titin and/or RyR antibodies. Thymectomy should always be considered shortly after MG onset in early‐onset MG patients and might only be considered in late‐onset patients who have early‐onset‐like immunological characteristics.