title: Antibodies to skeletal muscle in myasthenia gravis. Part 3. Relation with clinical course and therapy.
abstract: Fluctuations of anti skeletal muscle antibodies (AMA) were studied in relation to clinical changes and fluctuations in anti acetylcholine receptor antibodies (a-AChR). Forty-two patients with generalized myasthenia gravis were studied in clinical and serological follow-up during several years under various conditions. Results from this study demonstrate that AMA fluctuate in strong relation to a-AChR, clinical course and immunosuppressive therapy. Thymomectomy resulted in an increase or de novo appearance of AMA in 10 of the 12 patients who did not receive immunosuppressive medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kuks
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Limburg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horst
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Oosterhuis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013934:Thymectomy; D013945:Thymoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic