RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effective treatment of infantile myasthenia gravis by combined prednisone and thymectomy
JF Neurology
JO Neurology
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP 550
OP 550
DO 10.1212/WNL.27.6.550
VO 27
IS 6
A1 HARVEY B. SARNAT
A1 JOHN D. McGARRY
A1 J. EUGENE LEWIS, JR.
YR 1977
UL http://n.neurology.org/content/27/6/550.abstract
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.