Plasma exchange in myasthenia gravis: effect on anti-AChR antibodies and other autoantibodies.
Plasma exchange (PE) was performed in 6 patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies and other MG-correlated antibodies were quantified each day before, during and after PE. The antibody concentrations decreased during PE with a consisting increase between two exchanges. Repeated PE induced a transient decline in the AChR antibody concentration. The clinical improvement was maximal during the week after PE and correlated in time with increasing concentrations of AChR antibodies.
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000276:immunology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic