Immunosuppressive treatment of rippling muscles in patients with myasthenia gravis.
Rippling muscle disease is a rare autosomal dominant disorder that may occur sporadically. In this report two patients presenting with rippling muscles followed by myasthenia gravis are described. Our first patient developed rippling muscles about 1 month after infection with Yersinia enterocolitica. Two years later myasthenia gravis appeared. Our second patient had a 2-year history of asthma prior to the onset of rippling muscles which preceded the myasthenic symptoms by 4-8 weeks. Acetylcholine receptor and anti-skeletal muscle antibody titers were positive in both patients. In both patients the rippling phenomena worsened with pyridostigmine treatment but markedly improved after immunosuppression with azathioprine.
Müller-Felber
W
W
Friedrich-Baur Institute, Department of Neurology, Klinikum Innenstadt, University of Munich, Germany.
Ansevin
C F
CF
Ricker
K
K
Müller-Jenssen
A
A
Töpfer
M
M
Goebel
H H
HH
Pongratz
D E
DE
D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide; D001379:Azathioprine