Myasthenia gravis with ocular involvement in older patients.
BACKGROUND
There has been little previous study reporting the eye findings and presentation of elderly patients with myasthenia gravis. The purpose of this study was to review the findings and course of myasthenia gravis after the sixth decade of life.


METHODS
Retrospective observational case series. The authors reviewed the clinical records of 27 patients with onset of myasthenia gravis at age 60 years or more who were seen at a tertiary care academic ophthalmology centre in Houston between January 1992 and March 1999. The diagnosis of myasthenia gravis was based on conventional clinical and laboratory criteria.


RESULTS
Twenty patients (74%) were men. Of the 16 patients who underwent testing for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies, 11 (69%) were seropositive. Concurrent thyroid disease was found in seven patients (26%), including five (71%) of the seven women. No patient had thymoma. Sixteen patients (59%) manifested generalized symptoms during follow-up; 12 did so within 1 year of disease onset. Patients responded well to both anticholinesterase and corticosteroid therapy. At the most recent follow-up visit 18 patients (67%) were clinically improved, and no patient was clinically worse.


CONCLUSIONS
Myasthenia gravis in this study was characterized by a male predominance, high rate of concurrent thyroid disease, high rate of progression to mild generalized symptoms, absence of thymoma, good response to medical therapy and minimal life-threatening complications. Clinicians should consider the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis in an older patient presenting with diplopia or ptosis.
Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Tex., USA.
J S
JS
Weizer
A G
AG
Lee
D K
DK
Coats
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011241:Prednisone