Adenocarcinoma of the lung is the most common form of lung cancer in nonsmokers. It is commonly seen in the periphery of the lungs. Myasthenia gravis is generally associated with mediastinal malignancies and rarely associated with adenocarcinoma of the lung. We present a case of a 38-year-old male nonsmoker with rapidly progressive adenocarcinoma of the lung associated with myasthenia gravis, a...

A new drug, 4-aminopyridine, was prepared for use in humans and tested by repeated injections in six patients with myasthenia gravis. The drug caused improvement of muscle strength and neuromuscular transmission as demonstrated by clinical observations and repetitive electrical nerve stimulation. The drug was effective in cases without any other treatment as well as in cases undergoing treatmen...

We have demonstrated that thymectomy alone can improve many patients with myasthenia gravis, including those with the late onset form of the disorder. A key advantage to this approach is that it avoids the necessity of concurrent medication. While a drug-free approach has advantages for any patient, it is particularly well suited for those over the age of 55. Based on the results of our study, ...

We report on a case of refractory myasthenia gravis that was managed by using intravenous immunoglobulin. A 35-year-old Chinese woman with malignant thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis was treated by total thymectomy, followed by chemotherapy. Thirty months later, she developed respiratory failure and required mechanical ventilation for 2 months. A course of intravenous immunoglobulin was give...

A family is reported in which myasthenia gravis and thyroid disease occur over three generations. The grandmother and granddaughter have ocular myasthenia and an aunt in the second generation had generalised myasthenia gravis with a thymoma. The pattern of histocompatibility antigens (HLA) haplotypes, anti-AChR antibodies, anti-striate muscle antibodies and thyroid disease is described. The hap...

1 Batocchi AP, Evoli A, Servidei S, Palmisani MT, Apollo F, Tonali P. Myasthenia gravis during interferon alfa therapy. Neurology 1 995;45:382-3. 2 Riedel RR, Schmitt A, Hartmann A. Ocular pseudo-myasthenic reaction induced by interferon in an AIDS patient. Kin Wochenschr 1991;69:930-1. 3 Fritze D, Herrman JRC, Naeim F, Smith GS, Zeller E, Walford RL. The biological significance of HL-A antigen...

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease of the postsynaptic membrane, especially acetylcholine receptors in neuromuscular link skeletal muscle. Patients with myasthenia have a high number globally. The occurs due to disorder that impairs impulse connection between chemicals traveling from nerve endings and receptors. Clinical symptoms include weakness eye muscles (ptosis diplopia), difficult...

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is a large membrane protein found in muscle cells. It is involved in the transformation of acetylcholine packets into a membrane depolarization, which thereby leads to a muscle twitch. This large, complex molecule is the target of the autoimmune attack in myasthenia gravis, and much has been learned in the past decade about myasthenia by the induction...

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common autoimmune disease affecting the neuromuscular junction and is characterized by ocular, bulbar, limb and respiratory muscle involvement. Some of the drugs may induce and exacerbate MG. Antibiotics are also one of the most important medication groups that may worsen MG and they should be used with caution in these patients with MG. Herein, we would like ...

A 52 year old man with myasthenia gravis and normal liver function was treated with neostigmine, prednisolone and azathioprine. Three years after starting azathioprine he developed clinical evidence of portal hypertension. A liver biopsy showed nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH). The development of NRH following azathioprine treatment in a patient with myasthenia gravis strengthens the case...