title: Long-term cyclosporine treatment in a group of severe myasthenia gravis patients.
abstract: We evaluated cyclosporine A (CsA) treatment in 9 patients (6 female and 3 male), 16-63 years old, with severe myasthenia gravis (MG) for a mean period of 2 years (range 16-36 months). All of the patients had been previously treated either with corticosteroids or by combined immunotherapy, and 5 needed periodic plasma exchanges. The reduction of plasmapheresis cycles in the 5 patients who needed periodic plasma exchange to maintain an acceptable quality of life showed an impressive cost-benefit analysis. During CsA treatment 7 of 9 patients improved their muscle strength and functional score. In all the patients except one the corticosteroid dosage was reduced and in 7 of the 9 patients the dose reduction was over 50% with subsequent reduction of the corticosteroid side effects. The findings showed that initiation of CsA treatment increased muscle strength and reduced corticosteroid dosage. The most common CsA side effects were: a serum creatinine increase that occurred in the first 6-12 months of therapy in 8 patients, other side effects like hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia were present in four patients. Blood pressure increase was found in only one patient. CsA treatment may be a valuable and cost effective treatment in severe MG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bonifati
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Angelini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine