The effect of plasmapheresis on post-thymectomy ocular dysfunction.
Five myasthenia patients with post-thymectomy residual ocular signs were treated with plasmapheresis. Despite a significant reduction in AChR antibody titer, there was no clinical improvement. Subsequently, there was a dramatic response to prednisone. The AChR antibody titer did not correlate with the clinical state of the individual patient. It is suggested that plasmapheresis may operate by removing a thymic factor and that prednisone acts by a different mechanism.
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D013934:Thymectomy
D000906:Antibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011241:Prednisone