Clinical comparison of anti-MuSK- vs anti-AChR-positive and seronegative myasthenia gravis


Deymeer F., GUNGOR-TUNCER O., Yilmaz V., Parman Y., SERDAROGLU P., OZDEMIR C., ...More

Neurology, vol.68, no.8, pp.609-611, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 68 Issue: 8
  • Publication Date: 2007
  • Doi Number: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000254620.45529.97
  • Journal Name: Neurology
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.609-611
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We compared 65 anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-negative myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, including 32 anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK)-positive (49%) and 33 anti-MuSK-negative (seronegative) (51%) patients, with 161 anti-AChR-positive MG patients. The anti-MuSK-positive group had a higher frequency of bulbar involvement and respiratory crises. The seronegative group was in between the anti-MuSK positive and the anti-AChR positive groups, being closer to the latter, with regard to the severity of the disease. At the end of follow-up, the outcome of the anti-MuSK-positive patients was not different from that of the anti-AChR-positive patients, although their maintenance corticosteroid dose was higher. The seronegative patients had better outcome than the other two groups. ©2007AAN Enterprises, Inc.