[Long-term outcome and relevant factors of thymectomy for myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term outcome and relevant factors of thymectomy for myasthenia gravis (MG) by analyzing patients data.


METHODS
114 patients with MG operated between May 1990 and 1997 were reviewed. The results of operation were classified in to 4 grades: remission, improvement (efficiency includes remission and improvement), no change, and deterioration. The relativity between the long-term outcome and the factors of age, sex, the serum titer of AchR antibodies, duration of disease, pathological classification of thymus, modified osserman classification, and follow-up period was analyzed by logistic and chi(2) test.


RESULTS
There were 47 man and 67 women aged from 4 to 72 years. Follow-up ranged from 10 to 82 months (mean 42, 8 months). The remission rate was 27.2% and the effective rate 67.5%. No patient died in the hospital, and the late-death rate was 7.0% (8 cases).


CONCLUSIONS
Long follow-up (over 5 years) is necessary for evaluating the results of the treatment. There is no correlation between the outcome sex, and the serum titer of AchR antibodies. Associated diseases show no influence on the outcome of thymectomy.
Lu
X
X
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200040.
Mao
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000601:surgery*; D013934:Thymectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome