Myasthenia gravis and primary biliary cirrhosis. Common immunological features and rare coincidence

Abstract

A 43‐year‐old woman with recently diagnosed primary biliary cirrhosis developed antibody‐negative myasthenia gravis. She did not receive D‐penicillamine therapy. Clinical and immunological features of this patient are discussed. In previous reports on an association between primary biliary cirrhosis and myasthenia D‐penicillamine treatment was an obligate causal linkage between both disorders.

Overlap Syndrome and Myasthenia Gravis: An Uncommon Association With Unusual Features

“…1–14 All (except 1) were positive for AChR antibody, and all (except 2) had thymoma. 3,8 The unique feature in our case was the development of 2 autoimmune diseases such as MG 5 years after the diagnosis of overlap syndrome in the absence of anti-AChR and thymoma along with psoriasis. In the only other similar report of later development of MG, it also occurred 5 years after diagnosis of PBC without thymoma but with positive anti-AChR.…”