PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - HARVEY B. SARNAT
AU  - JOHN D. McGARRY
AU  - J. EUGENE LEWIS, JR.
TI  - Effective treatment of infantile myasthenia gravis by combined prednisone and thymectomy
AID  - 10.1212/WNL.27.6.550
DP  - 1977 Jun 01
TA  - Neurology
PG  - 550--550
VI  - 27
IP  - 6
4099  - http://n.neurology.org/content/27/6/550.short
4100  - http://n.neurology.org/content/27/6/550.full
SO  - Neurology1977 Jun 01; 27
AB  - Attlcle abstract–Myasthenia gravis developed in two children at 2 and 3 years of age respectively. Minimal improvement followed chronic oral administration of cholinesterase inhibitors. Patient 1 had ptosis and ophthalmoplegia but no clinical or electromyographic involvement of muscles of the extremities, although a quadriceps muscle biopsy revealed lymphorrhages. Patient 2 had progressive generalized myasthenia for 31/2 years. Both children were given a 3-month course of prednisone followed by thymectomy. They both are in remission, 12 and 8 months after thymectomy, with only minimal residual ocular weakness, but this weakness is much more responsive to anticholinesterase drugs than before thymectomy. Long-term administration of steroids, with the attendant complication of growth retardation, is avoided.