Immunosuppressive drug therapy in myasthenia gravis.
We reviewed the records of 37 patients with myasthenia gravis treated with azathioprine (n = 10) or cyclophosphamide (n = 27). All patients had received prednisone and anticholinesterase therapy, and most had undergone thymectomy prior to immunosuppressive therapy. Thirty patients (81%) responded to treatment. Both azathioprine and cyclophosphamide were found to be effective in the treatment of myasthenia gravis. The degree of improvement was more pronounced in patients with thymoma.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D001379:Azathioprine