Thymectomy in myasthenia with pure ocular symptoms.

Abstract

The mean observation period before operation was 95 months (SD = + 128) for women and 17 months (SD = + 23) for men; five patients had symptoms for more than 2 years before operation; the mean observation period after 332 by copyright.

Bilateral Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Thymectomy vs. Extended Transsternal Thymectomy in Myasthenia Gravis: A Prospective Study

“…However, owing to the positive results in our previous study [24] , fi ndings in the present series, and suggestions of others [6,25,26] , we advocate that early thymectomy in ocular MG could prevent further progression of the disease in becoming generalized.…”

Effects of FK506 on myasthenia gravis patients with high interleukin‐2 productivity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

“…Table 1 compares the clinical characteristics of the patients with elevated (Ͼ1250 pg/ml, n ϭ 9) PBM IL-2 production and those with normal (Ͻ1250 pg/ml, n ϭ 10) PBM IL-2 production. Clinical severity was determined by patients and participating medical staff (blinded to the level of IL-2 production), according to the methods of Schumm et al 12 and Besinger et al 1 (excluding measurements of vital capacity) for ocular and generalized symptoms, respectively. The ratios (posttreatment to pretreatment) of clinical severity score, PBM IL-2 production, and AChR-Ab titer for patients showing elevated AChR-Ab titer were calculated for individual patients at 1 week and 1 month after beginning FK506 administration (Table 1).…”

The Effect of Combined Therapy with Immunoadsorption and High-Dose Intravenous Methylprednisolone on Myasthenia gravis

“…HMP was performed by serial intravenous injection of 1.0 g methylprednisolone/100 ml saline immediately after IA and on the mornings of the following 2 days. Clinical severity was strictly scored by the patients and the participating medical staff (not blinded to the treatment), according to the methods of Schumm et al [14] and Besinger et al [15] (excluding measurements of vital capacity) for ocular symptoms and generalized symptoms, respectively. The ratios (after/before the treatments) of the clinical severity score, the anti-AChR Ab titer among the patients showing elevated values and the dose of oral PSL per day required for normal life (together with 60 or 120 mg of pyridostigmine bromide/day) were calculated for individual patients (table 1).…”