[Diagnosis and treatment of myasthenia gravis: study of an inpatient population]

Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 1990 Sep;48(3):270-8. doi: 10.1590/s0004-282x1990000300002.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Between 1974 and 1987 we have examined 50 patients with the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. Female preponderance (2.5: 1) was found. Also, it was observed that most of the patients were aged between 20 and 49 years. Beside the clinical examination, the following tests were performed: (1) edrofonium test, (2) supramaximal repetitive nerve stimulation, (3) serum acetylcholine antibodies titers and (4) intraperitoneal passive transference of patient's sera to mice and recording of meepp's amplitude in the phrenic-diaphragm preparation in vitro. These four tests gave positive values for myasthenia in 90 to 100% of the cases. Thymus radiological examination was carried out by pneumomediastinography, which proved to correlate with the histological picture of the gland, and computed tomography, which disclosed some discrepances with the histology. Treatment was based on anticholinesterase drugs, corticosteroids and thymectomy, being the corticosteroids the most valuable therapeutical tool. Nine patients treated with steroids disclosed transitory worsening of their signs and symptoms at very early stages after onset of corticosteroid therapy, 6 of them had a disfavorable course in their follow-up. This observation seem to have value in the early prognosis of the disease.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Edrophonium
  • Electrophysiology
  • Female
  • Hospitalization*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / therapy*
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / analysis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Thymectomy
  • Thymus Gland / pathology

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • Edrophonium